Vox Magazine Spring Preview 2022 Issue

LET’S GROW AS WE GO PAGE 5

EXPLORE TRUE/FALSE PAGE 12

UNBOUND FROM COVER TO COVER PAGE 18

THE VOICE OF COLUMBIA  SPRING PREVIEW 2022

All

Buzz

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From films and books to health and wellness — cultivate your spring with Vox’s handpicked calendar, you li’l socially distanced butterfly.

Show Me Opera: The Marriage of Figaro Sat, March 12, 7pm • Missouri Theatre Sun, March 13, 2pm • Missouri Theatre

Missouri Contemporary Ballet: Live!

Fri, April 8, 7pm • Missouri Theatre Sat, April 9, 7pm • Missouri Theatre

Fiddler On The Roof Tue, March 22, 7pm • Jesse Auditorium

The Queen’s Cartoonists

Tue, April 19, 7pm • Jesse Auditorium

Visit www.concertseries.org or call 573-882-3781 for more information on our amazing lineup!

ConcertSeries

FROM THE EDITOR

A TIME TO REFLECT

M

arch is an especially sacred time of the year for artists and, in particular, documentary filmmakers as Columbia welcomes back its highly anticipated annual film festival: True/False. During a brief campus visit around this time in 2020, I quickly learned how deeply ingrained this festival is in Columbia’s DNA. After its screenings were held outside due to the pandemic this past year, the internationally renowned event is back to captivate indoors with a collection of wildly imaginative films that foray into the innermost workings of the human experience. Read about the creative visions of the festival’s new artistic director, Chloé Trayner (p. 14), as well as the event’s theme, In/visible Villages, which speaks to elevating our collective experience to ignite human connection (p. 13).

Just as documentary films challenge audiences to expand their cultural and intellectual palates, so do books. This year, another of Columbia’s mainstays, Unbound Book Festival, will be hosted by local businesses downtown.

Vox discusses the intricacies of festival safety with Unbound founder and Skylark Bookshop

owner, Alex George (p. 19) while also exploring an exciting new panel, a conversation among graphic memoirists (p. 20). These authors use both words and visuals to unfold a narrative, but more importantly, their stories are anchored in real-life experiences.

Although these events exemplify our city’s culture, I also want to note that springtime presents an opportunity to pause and reset.

Vox’s wellness section traverses the landscape of self-improvement in mindful and creative ways. As we dust the last of the winter snow off our boots and the air fills with pollen, it’s time, once again, to propagate. Local gardening and culinary experts advise what plants and herbs to grow that provide the perfect farm-fresh complement to your springtime recipe regimen (p. 5). Or, find out how to invite tranquility into your life through a more holistic approach to wellness that doesn’t center around diet culture (p. 7).

Whatever your muse, I hope you’ll find a tidy hack or two and perhaps a dab of inspiration within our pages — whether that’s attending a film festival or simply investing in a little self-growth this season.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF COURTNEY PERRETT MANAGING EDITORS EVAN MUSIL, REBECCA NOEL DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR GRACE COOPER ONLINE EDITOR HANNAH GALLANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR MAKALAH HARDY ART DIRECTORS HEERAL PATEL, MOY ZHONG PHOTO EDITOR MADI WINFIELD MULTIMEDIA EDITOR ANNA KUTZ ASSOCIATE EDITORS CULTURE ALEX HUNT, ELIZABETH OKOSUN, JASHAYLA PETTIGREW, ABBEY TAUCHEN, MARISA WHITAKER EAT + DRINK ISABELLA FERRENTINO, ANNA ORTEGA, LAUREN STONE, NIKOL SLATINSKA CITY LIFE KELSY ARMSTRONG, JANAE MCKENZIE, ZOIA MORROW, CEY’NA SMITH, OLIVIA SHEEHY STAFF WRITERS JESSE BERLIN, KARLY BALSLEW, JOZIE CROUCH, JOSIE HEIMSOTH, JACEY JOHNSON, ADRIAN MADDOX, AMILEE NUZZO, SYNDNEY SCALIA, MIKAELA SCHLUETER, MAX SHAPIRO, JORDAN THORNSBERRY, AUSTIN WOODS EDITORIAL ASSISTANT BRADFORD SIWAK DESIGNER SHULEI JIANG ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR OLIVIA EVANS SOCIAL & AUDIENCE DOMINIC BOLT, EMMA DALKE, BRENNA ERWIN, DESTINY GARCIA, HAILEY KEENAN, BRYNN JANKOWSKI, MARIE MCMULLAN, CELA MIGAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ATHENA FOLSER-BRAZIL, ERIK GALICIA, JARED GENDRON EDITORIAL DIRECTOR HEATHER ISHERWOOD EXECUTIVE EDITOR LAURA HECK SENIOR EDITORS MADISON FLECK COOK, JENNIFER ROWE

Courtney Perrett Editor-in-Chief

Behind the issue I’ve always seen spring as the season that breathes life back into the world. Leaves start growing on trees. Flowers are in bloom.

Bees are buzzing. Spring is fresh, lively and revitalizing. To me, this issue was a breakdown of spring for our readers, so when tasked with coming up with a design, all I could see were flowers breaking apart.

Petals separating themselves from the bud.

We chose to photograph real flowers to sprinkle throughout the pages to breathe life into this issue, just as spring does.­—Heeral Patel

Vox art director Heeral Patel, left, and creative director Makalah Hardy arrange flower petals during a photo shoot for the cover.

Photography by Madi Winfield and courtesy of Courtney Perrett

OFFICE MANAGER KIM TOWNLAIN

Vox Magazine

@VoxMag

@VoxMagazine

@VoxMagazine

ADVERTISING 882- 5714 CIRCULATION 882- 5700 EDITORIAL 884- 6432 vox@m i s s o u ri . e d u CALENDAR send to vox@m i s s o u ri . e d u o r subm i t vi a onl i ne fo rm a t v o x m a g a zi n e . c o m TO RECEIVE VOX IN YOUR INBOX sign up for email newsletters at voxmagazine.com S PRI N G P R E V I E W 2 0 2 2 V OL UM E 2 4 , IS S U E 2 PUB L I S H E D BY T H E COL UM B I A M IS S O U RIA N L E E H IL L S H A L L COL UM B IA M O 6 5 2 1 1

MAGAZINE Cover Design: Heeral Patel Cover Photo: George Whit Frey VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

14

TRUE/FALSE

12

Reveal the concealed After holding the 2021 film festival outdoors, the T/F crew is determined to make this year memorable.

14

Q&A with Chloé Trayner Touching down from London town, T/F’s new artistic director is bringing creative visions for the festival to life.

15

Vox Doc Matrix Your ultimate guide to the 2022 T/F featured films.

07

UNBOUND

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New chapter for Unbound Get ready, Columbia! Downtown is now center stage for Unbound.

20

Making panels come to life Unbound graphic memoirists combine pictures and words to paint their stories in full color.

WELLNESS

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March

05

Getting grounded

Tiny things, tours and trains! Oh my!

Check out these cannot-miss events.

Get the most out of this season by growing what you know.

16

April

07

Centering wellness, not diet culture Ditch diet culture and learn holistic health habits that will leave you feeling energized and rejuvenated.

08

Defend and mend Columbia health professionals provide advice to stay COVID-free.

CALENDAR

Whether you’re a dance connoisseur or a brunch fiend, you’ve got plans.

21

05

May From spring festivals to Tony Awardwinning musicals, May is in full bloom.

16

09

Clear your space Decluttering doesn’t always have to be dreadful. Achieve an optimized space with these simple tricks.

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VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

Photography by George Whit Frey, Hunter Pendleton, Darby Hodge and Zhihan Huang/Archive and courtesy of Unbound Book Festival and Christine Seitz and Illustrations by Makalah Hardy

HEAL YOUR MIND AND BODY P. 7

WELLNESS

REFRESH YOUR SPACE P. 9

Getting grounded Yes, almost anyone can cultivate a garden that suits their needs.

BY JACEY JOHNSON

Photography by George Whit Frey and courtesy of Unsplash and illustrations by Makalah Hardy

VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

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WELLNESS Gardening

Any sized space and type of soil will do — Columbia’s garden wizards share how to get the most out of your plants. Keep the planting project small, grow what you’ll eat and join a local gardening community — these are the roots to reaping all of gardening’s benefits this spring.

If you have a windowsill, plant herbs You don’t need a backyard to enjoy fresh herbs. Nourish Café + Market backhouse manager Regan Gatica, who uses fresh basil to make pesto, says growing herbs is a practical and nutritional way to utilize small spaces. You can pack a plethora of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and flavors into a pot as small as 6 inches in diameter.

Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture’s executive director Billy Polansky says novice gardeners with limited space can take advantage of containers for planting. “A small success is better than a big failure,” he says. Your pot doesn’t need to be fancy, but it does need to have drainage. Any plastic, wood or metal container will do — just be sure

Social growing

to poke some holes in the bottom and place a drip plate underneath.

Grow what you’ll eat Gardening experts and chefs agree that you should plant what you’ll actually eat.

Laura Flacks-Narrol of Victory Gardeners cuts right to the chase: Planting broccoli if you don’t like broccoli is not helpful. Polansky’s list of what to grow in the spring includes lettuce, carrots, radishes, turnips, kale, collards, mustard greens, potatoes and peas. To accompany your veggies, Polansky suggests garden flowers, marigolds and nasturtiums.

The Community Garden Coalition makes it easy to sprout relationships with your neighbors.

Anyone can apply for a local gardening plot and socialize with their plot mates.

For information, see comogardens.org.

food. Flacks-Narrol’s suggestion is to build up plant beds with compost, which helps create rich and healthy soil and can reduce the threat of bugs and fungi that cause disease.

Flacks-Narrol says you can arrange your garden to welcome frogs, turtles, birds and other creatures that eat the bad bugs. “I’m using nature to take care of my problems,” Flacks-Narrol says.

She uses lots of birdhouses, bushes with bird-friendly berries and compost piles to invite these pest-killing garden guardians.

Cultivate connections Gardening promotes engagement with our surroundings — neighbors, nature and the food we eat. Polansky says whether we realize it or not, food is our closest link to nature, and every time we nourish our bodies, it creates a connection. “It’s this dance where us humans are manipulating nature to provide this food for us,” Polansky says. And you can understand your dance partner a little more through gardening. 

Be serious about your soil The soil is more important than the plant, Flacks-Narrol says. CCUA’s agricultural park manager Tony Minnick urges gardeners to enrich the soil with mulch. Materials such as wood chips, leaves, grass clippings and straw make more nutrients available to your plants while regulating the soil temperature. Missouri has clay soil, which isn’t favorable for growing

COLUMBIA Bass Pro Shops Lake MARCH 12, 2022

Visit SOMO.org/Plunge to register Visit SOMO.org/Plunge to register

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VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

Photography by George Whit Frey

WELLNESS Healthy Habits

Center wellness, not diet culture

Form healthy routines in five simple steps.

BY SYDNEY SCALIA

W

hen it comes to prioritizing wellness in our lives, some people think this means reducing food intake and cutting down body fat by any means possible. However, there are many ways to approach wellness, and none of them include engaging with diet culture or disordered habits. Here are five healthy habits to kindle wellness in your life.

Bend and breathe If you want to center zen in your life, try yoga and meditation. “Meditation is a process of learning how to really pay attention to what’s going on inside,” says Sarah Hoover, yoga instructor and founder of Sacred Journeys, a lifestyle coaching company. “Yoga applies and connects to meditation. We call it moving meditation; we move in poses that are designed to bring wellness and alignment into the physical and mental body.” Try meditating using a guided meditation app, such as Calm, for short amounts of time to focus on releasing mental tension. Additionally, sign up for a Kundalini yoga class, which focuses on breathing techniques.

Write out your woes Whether you need a creative outlet or a place to vent your frustrations, journaling is for you. A 2008 study by the National Center for PTSD shows that journaling can improve mental health issues such as negative thoughts and anxiety, as well as help clear the mind and reduce symptoms of depression. Write in stream-of-consciousness style, explore your emotional reactions or utilize mindfulness prompts.

Eat balanced meals Healthy eating doesn’t mean diving headfirst into a restrictive or unsustainable diet. A 2013 study by the National Eating Disorders Association found that 35% of dieting becomes obsessive, and 25% of those diets turn into eating disorders. “A lot of what we get here is, ‘Yeah, I’m on a diet, but I’ve only been eating a salad or two a day,’ and there’s no source of protein and no source of carbs,” says Chris Monroe, a sports nutritionist at Supplement Superstore in Columbia. “We recommend sustainability. We try to center our meals around protein, some sort of clean carbs, and then your typical fruits and veggies.” In fact, it’s best to prioritize a balance of all the food groups. In the long run, a balanced diet will keep you happier and healthier.

Get up, get moving When it comes to exercise, there are tons of ways to get creative with your workouts, such as dancing, biking or swimming, which can easily be used to meet the CDC’s recommended 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week.

It can raise your energy levels, improve your sleep and memory and lower your chances for contracting chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Try going on a walk with your favorite podcast plugged in, or take a fun dance class.

Photography by George Whit Frey and Illustrations by Makalah Hardy

Whether you’re getting your blood pumping through exercise or finding inner peace with yoga, there are many ways to achieve wellness.

Put down the phone Social media has had some drastic effects on our day-to-day lives. Comparisons of beauty, lifestyles and relationships are often most of what we absorb.

“Everybody compares themselves to the next influencer,” Monroe says. “And to be honest, those influencers are not realistic expectations about what you should be aiming for as far as body image.” So the next time you find yourself aimlessly scrolling and falling into a pit of anxiety, put down the phone and give your brain a break.

VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

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WELLNESS Pandemic Habits

Defend and mend

COVID-19 variants keep appearing, so it’s vital to learn how to protect our bodies and minds.

BY JESSE BERLIN

I

t’s safe to say COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon. The virus has adapted, and now we’re faced with one option: We must learn to live with it.

“This virus has broken a lot of the rules,” says virologist Marc Johnson, a professor at the MU School of Medicine who specializes in detecting COVID-19 variants. “It was mutating faster than we thought a coronavirus would.”

Our immune system sends out proteins called antibodies to seek out, bind to and eradicate foreign objects in our body, such as viruses. However, viruses can mutate into different variants, and that’s why COVID-19 has stuck around even with vaccines available.

The thought of the virus continuing can be a scary one. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. There are ways to protect your body and mind in a world of seemingly endless variants. Here are some tips to keep yourself and others safe and reduce worry.

FIRST, PROTECT YOURSELF

Get vaccinated Sara Humm, public information specialist for Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, clarifies that, yes, you can still contract COVID-19 even if you’re vaccinated and boosted. However,

the research shows you are less likely to have a severe case that could land you in the hospital.

Make masks part of your routine “We’re all tired of masks,” says Lynelle Phillips, president of the Missouri Immunization Coalition. Look on the bright side: Phillips says the flu season virtually disappeared last year because people wore masks and social distanced, giving them extra layers of protection from getting sick.

Buttons and stickers are common components at vaccination clinics.

Lynelle Phillips emphasizes the importance of the first tier of COVID-19 prevention: wearing masks and getting vaccinated.

Think like a virus Thinking like a virus means knowing what it wants. Phillips says “when we congregate in crowds, when we don’t wear masks, when we don’t vaccinate,” all these things make the virus happy.

A happy virus spreads and mutates. If people wore masks and got vaccinated, then it would have fewer bodies to infect, and it would lose its potency.

THEN, CALM YOUR NERVES

Keep an eye on the science The medical field bursts with promise, Phillips says. New vaccine technology

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VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

An MU senior carries headphones, coffee and a mask — the essentials of pandemic college life.

is being developed to get at the root cause of transmission and counteract COVID-19, as well as its variants. Researchers are also using mRNA technology and combining the COVID-19 and flu vaccine to create a dual vaccine for “one-shot protection,” Phillips says.

Have some time to yourself In times of stress and anxiety, licensed counselor Linda Pogo suggests getting in sync with your body. Listen to what’s going on inside and think about “what it is that you need,” she says. “We can always get a drink of water. We can always roll our shoulders.”

Be kind “The power of personal connection is one of the most healing agents for depression,” says Christine Woods, licensed clinical social worker. It’s hard to talk about COVID-19 without talking about polarization. “We tend to think like humans and tribal humans at that,” Phillips says. But, she points out, “the virus is the enemy.” It gives us a chance to unite behind a common cause. In a time of isolation and distance, reach out.

Photography by Maya Bell/Archive, Megan Matty/Archive and George Whit Frey

WELLNESS Spring Cleaning

Clear your space

ing a friend over can help organizing, whether or not they’re physically assisting with the organization because they can be moral support.

“It’s just tedious,” Benson says. “If you have someone coming, it holds you accountable.”

Spring cleaning and decluttering your home can be a challenge. Thankfully, Vox is here to help with tips to get you organized.

BY AMILEE NUZZO

A

s the flowers start to bloom, the desire for a fresh start and an organized space does too. In a time when many have adjusted to working and attending school from home, it’s important to optimize your spaces.

Sarah Benson, the owner of Simplified Home, a professional organizing service in Columbia, says staying organized is an year-round task.

“I feel like people just mentally feel better when their surroundings aren’t overwhelming them,” she says.

It might be difficult to get started, but Mia Snyder, a licensed professional counselor and therapist in Columbia, says that cleaning is an example of the mind and body working together.

“Making a decision and following through brings a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence,” says Snyder.

“Taking care of our living space is a form of taking care of self.”

These tips will provide useful ways to successfully spring clean, declutter and refresh your space.

Don’t tackle everything at once Emptying the entirety of your closet onto your bed or floor might seem like a good start, but it’s an ambitious one. Benson says it is best to start with one section at a time. Get all of your T-shirts cleaned, sorted and organized. Then move on to sweaters, pants and other categories.

This doesn’t only go for your closet.

Approaching basements, storage rooms, attics and garages the same way can be helpful. Benson suggests setting aside some time to go through each area. Afterward, make specific zones for similar items in storage areas, such as outdoor stuff in one area and home improvement in another.

Be prepared to take your time You don’t need to finish organizing everything in one day. Patience will keep you on track. If you drag all of your belongings out of the cabinets only to lose that motivation, those items will be likely shifted to a pile up in a new area of the home.

Benson said that hiring someone is beneficial if you can afford it. Even hav-

Photography by George Whit Frey and courtesy of Unsplash

Where to donate old items

Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Love Columbia are places to donate used clothing.

Plato’s Closet or apps, such as Depop and Poshmark, are options to sell used items.

Spring into the new season with tips to freshen your space and declutter your mind and environment.

Tidy up electronics Electronics are an essential part of our day-to-day life, and they play a significant role in our state of mind.

According to the website Ideas on Fire, for a more organized computer, create a filing system that works for you.

There isn’t one way to do it, but a system clears your desktop and files folder.

Getting rid of unnecessary files and applications creates room on your devices.

It can be overwhelming to see a bunch of documents and bookmarks. Organizing the files will allow less visual clutter and reduce stress.

Delete apps that you don’t use regularly to clear up space on your device.

You should also double check your subscriptions that charge you automatically. If there’s a streaming or a delivery service that is no longer necessary or you hardly use, cut ties.

You could also spring clean your newsfeed and refresh the digital content you consume. Unfollow and unsubscribe to any accounts that give you anxiety or no longer serve you.

VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

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CALENDAR

MARCH

Usher in a new season with theatrical performances, comedy shows and outdoor activities for all audiences.

Jeff Allen at The Blue Note This comedy show, part of the Chicago-based comedian’s The America I Grew Up In tour, promises laughs for audience members of all ages. Allen, known for his focus on Christian values, prioritizes clean jokes. Prepare for a nostalgia-filled journey exploring the highs and lows of domesticity and humor in everyday life.

March 27, 7 p.m., The Blue Note, $2535, 874-1944

CIVIC

The CoMo Man Show

ARTS

Tiny Things Gallery Show A masterpiece doesn’t have to be massive to make its mark. For this exhibition, artists are required to limit their compositions to 8 by 8 inches, frames included. Stop by to see how local creatives manage to make a lot out of a little. March 1 to April 8, 11:30

Students from MU’s School of Music perform Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro during a 2016 performance. This March, Show-Me Opera brings the production to the stage.

a.m. to 6 p.m., Columbia Art League, free, 443-8838

Downtown Drag Stars at Pressed with Roxxy Malone Join Nclusion+, an organization that promotes LGBTQIA+ events and education, for an engaging night of food, drink and drag entertainment.

Roxxy Malone, Heather Fellas and other drag stars are hosting and performing at this 21+ event. March 10, 8:30–11 p.m., Pressed Rooftop Bar & Lounge, $10, 340-9195

The Marriage of Figaro Show-Me Opera brings Mozart’s 18th-century opera The Marriage of Figaro to the stage. Sung in Italian and set over the course of one day, this crit-

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VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

ically acclaimed comedic performance is about a servant who outsmarts his master. March 12, 7 p.m. and March 13, 2 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $25, 8823781

Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester Tour Peabody Award-winning comedian Hasan Minhaj stops by Columbia for his tour, The King’s Jester. After the searing success of Minhaj’s Netflix series Patriot Act, audiences should expect his stand-up comedy to deliver charismatic and potent political commentary. March 17, 7 p.m., Missouri

Revel in all things sports, motorcycles and power tools at this charity event.

Some of the proceeds will be donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation, which serves military veterans and first responders. Attendees can participate in a wing-eating contest, beard competition and other activities. March 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Holiday Inn Expo Center, $15-20, 875-1099

Annual Train Show Chug on over to this half-day event hosted by Columbia Parks and Recreation and Mid-Missouri Railfans.

Model trains, photos, film and plenty of other railway specimens will be on display to educate visitors about this early form of modern transportation.

Theatre, $53-93, 882-3781

March 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Paquin Tower, free, 874-7460

Fiddler on the Roof

FOOD

Didn’t catch it on Broadway? No worries — this Tony Award-winning classic is coming to Columbia with a fresh take on the original production. Under the direction of theater legend Bartlett Sher, an orchestra will accompany veteran dancers and actors as they tell a touching story of family and traditional Jewish values. March 22, 7 p.m., Jesse Auditorium, $59–72, 882-3781

Bingo & Brunch (A Family Show) Brought to you by LGBTQIA+ organization Nclusion+, this show hosted by Amanda Lay covers all of the bases. With bingo, brunch, prizes, entertainment and more, the whole family can enjoy a fun-filled outing. March 13, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Dandy Lion Café, Ashland, $5-10, 340-9195

Photography by George Whit Frey and courtesy of Christine Seitz/Archive

CALENDAR

MUSIC

Lauren Alaina Best known for being the first runner-up on season 10 of American Idol, country music star Lauren Alaina takes the stage. Alaina will perform songs from her latest album, Sitting Pretty on Top of the World. Featuring special guest Spencer Crandall, this show is a must-see for country music lovers. March 11, 7 to 8:30 p.m., The Blue Note, $20 in advance; $25 day of, 874-1944

Radkey Hailing from St. Joseph, this trio of brothers promises a night of smooth guitar riffs and funky jams. Fans can expect to hear Radkey’s most recent self-released album, Green Room, as well as other punk-rock bangers. March 12, 8:30 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $10 in advance; $12 day of, 874-1944

Danielle Nicole Band Kansas City-bred, Grammy Awardnominated Danielle Nicole and Bran-

don Miller bring the blues to Columbia. Their music goes heavy on the bass and is sure to bring the house down.

March 18, 9 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $15 in advance; $20 day of, 874-1944

Zach Williams Need your fix of music and ministry? Look no further. Joined by fellow country musician Anne Wilson, Grammy Award-winning artist Zach Williams will be in town crooning his contemporary Christian and Southern rock tunes. March 20, 7 p.m., Jesse Auditorium, $29.75-199, 882-3781

Charley Crockett Texas-based Charley Crockett didn’t begin his music career until he was in his 30s. Now only six years in, he has filled an astounding 10 albums with bluesy melodies and bittersweet emotions. His latest is a double LP titled Music City USA. Crockett will entertain fans with country tunes reminiscent of the 1960s. March 28, 8 p.m., The Blue Note, $22–30, 874-1944

True/False Film Fest

RECREATION

Show Me Reptile and Exotics Show

Don’t forget about the True/False Film Fest, which will take over The District from March 3-6. Turn to page 12 for Vox’s coverage of the fest.

Calling lovers of all things creepy and crawly! Show Me Snakes brings snakes, amphibians, reptiles and plenty more exotic animals to Columbia. March 6, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, $7–12, 446-7004

2022 Columbia Polar Plunge It’s time for the annual Polar Plunge, where participants dive into freezing winter waters. Hosted by the Columbia Police Department, this family-friendly event raises money for Missouri’s Special Olympics. March 12, Bass Pro Shops, $75 donation required for participation, 635-1660

MizzouThon A year of fundraising for the MU Health Care Children’s Hospital culminates in a 13.1-hour dance marathon. Attendees must register in advance and raise at least $100 for the cause to participate. March 12, 12 p.m., MizzouRec, $25, executive. mizzouthon@gmail.com

Studio 4, 672 Hitt St. Columbia MO 7:30pm March 9 - 12 2:00pm March 12 and 13 Tickets: Rhynsburger Theatre box office Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm, closed noon -1pm Or call (573) 882-PLAY (7529) or online at theatre.missouri.edu

Photography by George Whit Frey

Howard Koch’s adaptation of H. G. Wells’ novel Directed by Kevin Brown Assistant Director Les Gray VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

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The famed True/False Film Fest illuminates the invisible ties that bind us.

Designed and illustrated by Moy Zhong

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Photography by Photographer Name

Now playing This year’s celebration represents a mix of new players and long-time traditions.

BY ERIK GALICIA

A

fter altering the 2021 event due to COVID-19, organizers of the True/False Film Fest aim to bring back a sense of normalcy this year. This year’s True/False theme of In/ visible Villages embodies what is often not shown or spoken about. It brings those hidden things to the forefront.

The event will have more filmmakers and a return to indoor screenings after moving outdoors due to COVID-19 last year. True/False will maintain a reduced capacity and a proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test policy for attendance. Masks are required for all, except for during meals and cocktail sips.

“All over town, there will be music before every screening, parties and events and a way for people to come together,” says Artistic Director Chloé Trayner. “It will feel a lot more familiar, and we hope that audiences feel that energy.”

A new vision Trayner, a nonfiction film festival director from the United Kingdom, is making her debut as True/False’s artistic director (see our Q&A with Trayner on page 14). For the first time in its 19-year history, the True/False executive and artistic director roles will be filled exclusively by women.

The festival will screen 33 feature films and 20 short films, showcasing stories from across the globe. In fact, this will be True/False’s most international year to date, Trayner says.

She and her team reviewed close to 1,150 nonfiction films and sought out creators with Photography by Photographer Name

complete control of their crafts. They examined each film’s form, visual storytelling techniques and connections with their audiences. They considered the films’ power and ethics. They looked at pacing, structure and the choices filmmakers make in how they tell their stories.

“There’s a really exciting kind of experimentation going on in the program,” Trayner says. “A lot of reflection going on on how we got to where we are, which I think is inherent in the fact that we’re living through a pandemic.”

This year’s theme Experimentation and reflection also shine through in this year’s theme. The team commissioned Xinmei Liu, a Chinese-born artist out of New York, for the festival’s signature poster. Inspired by a utopia found in classic Chinese literature, Liu presents playground slides emerging from a dogwood-lined Missouri River in the spring. The slides represent community and bring riders longing for the ideal world back to the ground, where they are rooted and will flourish, according to her artist statement.

True/False’s website describes In/ visible Villages as a look at “what is often concealed” and an attempt to inspire hope and connection across communities. This idea will be explored by 13 art installations set up at various downtown locations.

Barbie Banks, a Ragtag Film Society co-custodian, says In/visible Villages inspires awareness for groups that came to light throughout the past two years.

For example, those who cannot be vaccinated and continue to live at-risk, but also the “invisible friends” that helped people cope with the uncertainty of the pandemic. “Hopefully the festival is a chance to come out and start talking about those things and make the invisible visible,” she says.

The nitty gritty Trischa Splitter, True/False volunteer coordinator, says up to 500 volunteers will help with everything from customer service to setting up and taking down art installations and flipping theaters between screenings. Also, volunteers will separate trash from recyclables to work toward the festival’s dedication to sustainability. True/False went strawless in 2019 and employs reusable materials wherever possible, from its dishes to its art installations.

Splitter says volunteers do the “nitty gritty” tasks on the ground level. These volunteers are considered the “heart of the festival” and make True/False possible. Splitter says the best way to enter the festival is by volunteering.

Volunteers will be accepted throughout the festival, which runs March 3 to 6.

Applications can be found on the True/ False website.

After a day of films, art, music and bloody marys, Banks says the perfect end to the evening is a seat at a downtown restaurant.

“Talk to the people you attended with or the people attending who are at the table next to you,” Banks says. “Talk about what you saw.”

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er- and industry-facing, and the public audience wasn’t as big a part of it. That’s been really exciting for me — having this really loyal and adventurous local audience who wants to engage with the programming.

New artistic director goes global for film festival After moving to Columbia from London this year, Chloé Trayner talked to Vox about keeping True/False’s local heart while bringing her worldly perspective.

BY BRADFORD SIWAK

N

ew True/False Film Fest Artistic Director Chloé Trayner rang in the new year asleep, exhausted from traveling more than 14 hours from London. She was previously the director of London’s Open City Documentary Festival, where a major part of her job was working to support filmmakers.

However, with True/False, Trayner primarily works with programmers to craft and execute the festival’s artistic vision.

Established 19 years ago, True/ False quickly became a top player in the global documentary festival scene.

As the only non-American in a director position, Trayner says she hopes to make the programming slightly more international. At the same time, she is working to listen to community members’ hopes for the festival to maintain its local roots. As Trayner is also the new artistic director of the Ragtag Film Society, her primary duty is building bridges around the world by talking to other film-buff professionals.

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Photography by Hunter Pendleton

Vox spoke with Trayner about her new role and what she envisions for this year’s True/False.

What is commonly misunderstood about your role?

A lot of people think that if you’re the artistic director, you make all of the decisions, but that’s not how we work at True/False. We’re very collaborative.

Our whole programming team watches every single film that we want to put forward for consideration, and then we discuss how we feel about it and make decisions together. Although the artistic director sets the wider vision, all of our programmers have equal stake in deciding what films we’re showing and how we want to talk about them.

Hailing from the massive city of London, Chloé Trayner says she finds Columbia’s scene welcoming.

She was named artistic director of both True/False and Ragtag Film Society.

What’s most important when picking films for a festival’s schedule?

I try to separate what I might find personally interesting in a story and what is actually interesting, formally, in the film. You constantly, as a programmer, have to be checking, “Am I bringing something from my experience to this film that is not actually in it?” — which is absolutely fine to do. But also recognizing that and saying, “Is that a really niche, specific thing to me, or is that a universal experience?” Figuring out whether you are being kinder to a film because of a personal bias towards it, or unkind because of a personal bias against it is a challenge, but it’s something that if you really focus on a film, take notes and watch actively, is possible to do.

What are you most looking forward to about the festival?

I’m looking forward to the filmmakers coming into town and getting to meet the people whose films we’ve been excited about for months. A lot of them haven’t had in-person screenings before because of the pandemic, so I’m really looking forward to them getting to have that experience. I’ve been to one festival during the pandemic that took place in person, but otherwise, I’m really looking forward to being back at a film festival. That feels very long overdue — that feeling and that buzz that you get when you’re around people and everyone’s watching films and everyone wants to talk about what they’ve seen.

I can’t wait for that.

How does the True/False role differ from what you’ve done in the past?

When I was in London, it’s a very different ecosystem. The festivals that I’ve worked for tended to be more filmmak-

Photography by Photographer Name

Vox Doc Matrix Want help mapping out your True/False watch list? Vox spoke to Ragtag Cinema’s Artistic Director Chloé Trayner about this year’s films.

BY ROSHAE HEMMINGS

CONVENTIONAL Children of the Mist Ancient traditions and modern life clash as a young girl in the North Vietnamese mountains pursues an education.

Brotherhood Bosnian brothers navigate life on their own after their father is sentenced to prison on terrorism charges.

Dos Estaciones A determined owner of a Jalisco Highlands tequila factory fights foreign corporations.

Miguel’s War This film provides interrogative insights on war, love, religion and queerness.

Octopus After a port explosion in Beirut left over 200 people dead and billions of dollars in damages, a reeling city picks up the pieces.

Factory to the Workers A Croatian factory owned by its employees struggles in a capitalist economy.

H6 This film explores one of Shanghai’s largest hospitals.

Turn Your Body to the Sun A daughter sets out to retrace her father’s path as a World War II Soviet soldier.

Eventually Director Rikke Nørgaard documents a young couple’s relationship to determine if they have a future together.

No U-Turn A filmmaker explores the purpose of migration to young people in Africa.

Canoa: A Shameful Memory In a small Mexican village, students are wrongly accused of being communist agitators by a local priest.

I Didn’t See You There Filmmaker Reid Davenport dives into the history of America’s Freak Show.

Caballerango A Mexican community navigates the death of a young horse wrangler.

Let the Little Light Shine A majority-Black school in Chicago has a record of high performance, but it’s threatened by gentrification.

Fire of Love Volcanologists Katia and Maurice Sirens Krafft’s love story Members of an all-woman metal is told through band aim to balance life and self-shot films. self-discovery.

Vedette A top-ranked cow adjusts to aging and an influx of newer, younger cattle.

Days and Nights of Demetra K The Balcony Movie The life of sex Through conversations worker Demetra K with passersby, this film illuminates economic illustrates the compassion turmoil and the push and warmheartedness for worker rights. of a community.

HEARTWARMING

HEARTBREAKING

The Territory The leader of the Uru-eu-wau-wau Indigenous Surveillance Team aims to defend its land against colonizing Brazilian farmers.

2nd Chance The Body-armor inventor proves the effectiveness of his products by shooting himself.

The Delights Kids learn through hands-on experiences at an agriculture-based boarding school in Argentina.

After Sherman Director Jon-Sesrie Goff explores the impact of inheritance and generational racial trauma.

It Runs in the Family A filmmaker goes on a journey after discovering her family’s connection to a notable director.

Riotsville, USA Where are We Headed This film explores a Director Ruslan Fedotow GES-2 A Moscow energy fake town created explores the rich culture plant transforms into by the U.S. military of Russian society. an art space. during riots in the 1960s.

The Still Side Gods of Mexico Invisible voices Rural Mexican communities and potential sea aim to maintain their creatures bring life to cultural identities. an abandoned resort.

We Met in Virtual Reality Created completely in VR, this film portrays community and human connections.

Açucena Every year for religious reasons, Guiomar Monteiro celebrates her 70th birthday alongside her growing collection of dolls.

Mr. Landsbergis Filmmaker Sergi Loznitsa documents how a meek politician led Lithuania out of the Soviet Union.

Mija Daughters of undocumented immigrants strive to make a better life by joining the music scene.

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CALENDAR

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Go ahead! Grab your dancing shoes, sneakers or summer sandals and head out to these fun-filled events.

ARTS Live!

The Missouri Contemporary Ballet is performing Live! at the Missouri Theatre presented by the University Concert Series. The performance includes original compositions from local musicians that showcase the talent of the company’s graceful dancers.

April 8 and 9, 7 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $28–48, 882-3781

9 to 5: The Musical Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical is being performed by the Stephens College Musical Theatre department. The musical is based on the 1980 film that tells the story of three friends who take over their office and take back their power. April 8, 9, 15 and 16, 7:30 p.m.; April 10, 2 p.m., Macklanburg Playhouse, $16–18 general admission; $10 students/seniors, 876-7199

Black Health and Wellness: A Selection of Historical Images The State Historical Society of Missouri is displaying Black Health and Wellness: A Selection of Historical Images, which includes photographs, artwork and editorial cartoons. The exhibit tells the story of the health difficulties African Americans faced in the 20th century through historical visuals. Feb. 7 to May 23, Ellis Library, on display in the second floor colonnade cases, free

CIVIC

CoMo Retro Game Convention Calling all retro game enthusiasts!

Stop by the first-ever CoMo Retro Game Convention. Browse through the various vendors and possibly hit retro game gold by finding the game you have been searching for. Think you are a Mario Kart 64 or Super Smash Bros. master? Test your skills by

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competing in the convention’s gaming tournaments. Anyone interested in competing can sign up three hours before the competitions, which begin at 1 p.m. April 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $10 per person; $8 in advance, Stoney Creek Conference Center

Bartender Sydney Barton serves drinks at the Dive Bar in 2018. The bar is hosting Brunch, Trivia and Karaoke on Sundays in April.

FOOD

Dive Bar Brunch, Trivia and Karaoke Looking for some Sunday fun this spring? Join your friends and family at the Dive Bar for Sunday brunch starting at 10 a.m. Stick around for a fierce round of trivia at 2:30 p.m., and then sing the day away with karaoke at 6 p.m.

April 3, 10, 17 and 24, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. brunch; 2:30 p.m. trivia; 6–8 p.m. karaoke, Dive Bar, 607-9523

Columbia Farmers Market Spend your Saturday morning at the award-winning and locally loved Columbia Farmers Market. The market

VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

Unbound Book Festival

The literary weekend is bound for downtown this year for the first time ever. Panels, discussions and other events are open to the public April 21-24. Head to page 18 for Vox’s preview of the event.

returns to summer hours starting April 2, as local producers, farmers and artisans ramp up their offerings. Peruse seasonal produce, plants, meats and cheeses — and don’t forget to grab a coffee, lemonade or smoothie from local vendors and food trucks while you browse. Every Saturday starting April 2, 8 a.m. to noon, MU Health Care Pavilion at Columbia’s Agricultural Park, 1769 W. Ash St., free, 823-6889

MUSIC

Zoso: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin Break out your favorite vintage band T-shirt and dancing shoes for Zoso: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin. The cover band came together in 1995 with the goal of performing the most accurate show possible since the real Led Zeppelin.

Bring your Zeppelin-loving friends and a “Whole Lotta Love” to take in the hard-hitting sounds of the iconic band.

April 8, 8 p.m., The Blue Note, $15 in advance; $20 day of, 874-1944

Photography by Zhihan Huang/Archive and George Whit Frey

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The Record Company’s Play Loud Tour Los Angeles-native rock band The Record Company recently released its third album, Play Loud, and is taking it on tour. The band has chart-topping hits such as “Off the Ground,” “Life to Fix” and “How High’” that are sure to catch your attention and replay in your head. April 10, 8 p.m., The Blue Note, $20–30, 874-1944

Jimmie Allen Country artist Jimmie Allen made history as the first Black artist to have two consecutive No. 1 hits on his 2018 debut album Mercury Lane.

He has since continued to win awards and gain recognition including ACM New Male Artist in 2021. He has collaborated with stars such as Keith Urban, Noah Cyrus, Little Big Town, Pitbull and Darius Rucker. His top hits include “Make Me Want To,” “Freedom Was a Highway’’ and “Best Shot.” April 29, 8 p.m., The Blue Note, $29–35, 874-1944

RECREATION Float Your Boat

The Food Bank’s ninth annual cardboard boat regatta fundraising event is back! Test your floating skills by creating a one-of-a-kind handmade cardboard boat and race across Bass Pro Shops’ Lake. April 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Bass Pro Lake, $25–100, 447-6633

Women’s Fitness Walk Organized by Columbia Walking and Hiking Club, this public group meets most Mondays to stay active, explore

nature and meet new people. Details will be posted on the group’s Meetup page. April 4, 11, 18 and 25, 5:15­­–6:15 p.m., free

The Aggregatep This team-of-two competition focuses on the founding principles of CrossFit. Registration is open now and includes 11 divisions. Prize money will be awarded to at least five teams per division. April 9, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Cross-

On the last weekend in April, see country star Jimmie Allen on Friday at The Blue Note and support the Food Bank on Saturday at the 2022 Float Your Boat event.

Fit Aggregate, $230 March registration until March 21 deadline, 426-9199

GIFT SHOP

GALLERY CLASSES

AND MORE! 207 S. 9TH ST. IN DOWNTOWN COMO COLUMBIAARTLEAGUE.ORG

Photography by George Whit Frey and courtesy of Jimmie Allen and Michael Yetman/Archive

VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

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d n u o b n U Festival Consider yourself booked. Unbound is ready to inspire from April 21 to 24.

Design byShulei Shulei Jiang Design by Jiang 18

Photography by Photographer Name

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booK

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tion or a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours of the event. Masks will be required in indoor settings.

A NEW CHAPTER FOR UNBOUND

Gabe Fried, Shann Ray, Camille Rankine and Patrick Rosal speak at the 2016 “Writing Identity” panel.

Unbound is makin’ its way downtown for the 2022 festival.

BY EMILY LEIKER

U

d

nbound Book Festival is breaking new ground — literally and metaphorically.

After years at Stephens College, the festival is moving to downtown Columbia for its seventh season. Local businesses will host events April 21 to 24. Sunitha Bosecker, president of the festival board, says the move is something organizers previously discussed, but a scheduling conflict encouraged the transition in 2022.

Shortwave Coffee on Ninth Street, Ragtag Cinema, Fretboard Coffee, Broadway Hotel and Serendipity Salon are a few venues slated for author conversations, panels and other festival events. The Tiger Hotel ballroom will be the festival’s largest event space, and the Missouri Theatre will serve as the location for the keynote speaker, Viet Thanh Nguyen.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to work with a ton of great people downtown,” Unbound Executive Director Alex George says. George and Bosecker say they hope the move will increase festival visibility and attract more community participation. It also encourages attendees to

support downtown businesses, enjoy a wider array of food and explore more of Columbia.

Festival safety George says he hopes pandemic restrictions won’t force Unbound to go online for another year, but organizers have the ability to pivot if needed.

“There is nothing that actually beats being in a room and that collective energy you get whether you’re on the stage or in the crowd,” George says. “You actually can’t replicate that when you’re just sitting at home watching with a cup of coffee. It’s just not the same.”

However, festival organizers say they are appreciative of the opportunities gained from the 2021 virtual celebration.

The online events meant more authors could attend. It also opened the door for overall participation. More than 50,000 people watched at least one of Unbound’s virtual events. And the sessions were recorded and released via the Unbound Podcast, which launched in December 2020.

Now that the festival is back in person, all attendees, volunteers and author participants must show proof of vaccina-

Photography courtesy of Unbound Book Festival

Keynote speaker Viet Thanh Nguyen is the 2022 keynote speaker. The event is 7 p.m. April 22 at the Missouri Theatre and is free.

Nguyen’s novel, The Sympathizer, won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. He is a professor of English, American Studies and Ethnicity, and Comparative Literature at the University of Southern California.

New panels and speakers In addition to the keynote speaker, Nguyen, who won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 2022 Unbound has a variety of guest authors and panel topics. Some authors include interdisciplinary artist and poet Patrick Rosal and The New York Times’ bestselling authors Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and Jenny Lawson.

Panel topics include epistolary writing, graphic memoirs, nostalgia, humor writing and the medical-industrial complex. The festival traditionally hosts a panel to showcase authors and books from a specific Midwestern city, and this year’s city is Detroit.

On Sunday, Unbound will feature a new daylong event called Write On! It will be in a classroom-style setting, cost $50 and include a variety of workshops and speakers aimed at aspiring writers.

This workshop will be located at Stephens College.

The Unbound Book Festival was created with the community in mind, Bosecker says. It is accessible and most events are free. She encourages people to come to Unbound, even if they have not read the books by visiting authors.

“The books don’t go out of style just because you didn’t come to that one event,” she says. “Books are pretty timeless.”

Attendees at the 2019 festival browse through books written by visiting authors.

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making panels come to life Three graphic memoirists illustrate a form of storytelling that is timely and personal — and has ties to visual stories from over 100 years ago.

BY JARED GENDRON

G G

raphic novels harness the power of words and pictures working together. Graphic memoirs increase that impact by telling stories based in real-life experiences.

This year, Unbound Book Festival debuts a panel featuring three writers who have authored graphic memoirs.

These original works depict the personal journeys and struggles of the authors, who convey stories through illustrations and focus on themes of self-identity, culture and family.

Alex George, the festival’s executive director and owner of Skylark Bookshop, says the festival tends to focus on fiction, poetry and nonfiction. However, event organizers have seen growing enthusiasm surrounding graphic memoirs. The panel originally was planned for 2020 before that year’s festival was canceled.

At the book store, George says he has witnessed an increased interest from all ages for graphic novels and nonfiction. The Library Journal estimates graphic novels and comic sales reached

$1.28 billion in 2020, and the pandemic sparked even higher sales.

Origin story Graphic narratives have more than 100 years of history, says Andrew Hoberek, an MU professor of English and interim chair of the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. He says serial graphic stories date back to newspaper publications in the 1890s and early 1900s.

These stories, which were mostly aimed at younger audiences, eventually evolved into comic books and took off with the creation of Superman through the anthology magazine, Action Comics.

Although there were examples before the 1960s, it wasn’t until later that comics started diversifying narratives and telling stories for an older readership.

George cites Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Maus as an example of a graphic narrative that brought legitimacy to the medium. The serialized story, published from 1980 to 1991, depicts Spiegelman’s father’s complex experience as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor.

“It is really in the ’80s where you get writers like Spiegelman pushing those freedom-of-expression elements into telling complicated stories about people’s lives and the rise of graphic memoirs as a form,” Hoberek says. “It is the work that opens the door for other works.”

A panel on panels Fast forward to now, and graphic memoirs continue to gain traction as a respected literary medium. “It is absolutely reading,” George says. “But it is such a different experience because you, as a reader, are receiving information in a lot of different ways as opposed to just the words.”

The festival is scheduled to host three graphic memoirists, one of whom

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VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

Authors (clockwise from above) Malaka Gharib, Kristen Radtke and Maia Kobabe merged story and visuals for their graphic memoirs. Unbound Book Festival will bring the memoirists to the festival stage.

MEET THE AUTHORS

Get familiar with the works of these three graphic memoirists before the festival.

• Maia Kobabe created Gender Queer, The Secret Loves of Greeks and Rolled and Told Vol. 2.

is Maia Kobabe, who identifies as nonbinary and uses e/em/eir pronouns.

Kobabe is the author of Gender Queer, which recounts eir youth and path to finding eir self-identity. The story recounts Kobabe’s coming out to eir family and some tales of teenage crushes infused with confusion.

Another visiting author is Malaka Gharib, a writer and NPR journalist.

She wrote I Was Their American Dream, a coming-of-age story about being a first-generation Filipino Egyptian American. Other themes in her work include finding one’s identity, culture and chasing the American dream.

The third graphic memoirist is Kristen Radtke, author of Imagine Wanting Only This. This graphic memoir explores various ruined places — deserted cities in the Midwest and other vacant places as readers come to learn of Radtke’s family and events of America’s past.

• Kristen Radtke penned Imagine Only Wanting This and Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness.

• Malaka Gharib authored I Was Their American Dream and It Won’t Always Be Like This.

Photography courtesy of Unbound Book Festival

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Tune in to some of Columbia’s finest events, from retreats to a local dinner and wine series.

ARTS

burg Playhouse, $16–18 general admission; $10 children/seniors

Fun Home This Tony Award-winning contemporary musical is based on the autobiographical graphic memoir of the same name by cartoonist Alison Bechdel. It recounts her experiences as a young lesbian grappling with her identity, and the story examines the truth behind her father’s hidden desires, which she believes led to his death.

May 1 and 8, 2–4 p.m., May 5–7, 7:30–9:30 p.m., Talking Horse Productions, $17 general admission; $15 students/seniors

Curtain Up: A Celebration of the Work Celebrate the performing arts talents of Stephens College students. The event showcases the college’s singers, actors and dancers with theatrical works and vocal ensembles. May 4–6, 7:30–10 p.m., Macklan-

Red Riding Hood What’s a show without its cast? The Missoula Children’s Theatre will arrive in Columbia the week before the show begins with everything it needs to put on the play — except for the cast!

In an open audition on Monday, May 2, the team will cast 50 to 60 local kids from kindergarten to 12th grade. The crew will rehearse the play throughout the week before putting on two performances on Saturday. May 7, Mis-

tries to make the best of her situation. When she enters a baking contest in a nearby county and encounters a refreshing stranger, it’s up to her to seize her opportunity at a fresh start. May 8, 7:30 p.m., Jesse Auditorium, $59–72

CIVIC

Military History Encampment

Waitress

The Museum of Missouri Military will host its first annual military encampment. The demonstration will show what life was like in military camps during different time periods starting from early 1800s to the Vietnam War. There will be various presentations, and re-enactors will conduct weapons demonstrations of historical weapons. May

In this Tony Award-winning musical, Jenna is a waitress and expert pie-maker with big dreams.

Although she’s stuck in a rocky marriage, she

14 and 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Museum of Missouri Military, 2405 Logistics Road, Jefferson City, free, 638-9603

souri Theatre, $10 children; $15 adults

Save a life. Don’t Drive HoMe buzzeD. BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING.

Photography by George Whit Frey

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CALENDAR

2022 Interdisciplinary Plant Group Symposium Global climate change threatens the managed and natural plant systems on our planet. This symposium brings together experts from a wide variety of plant and life science disciplines to tackle the problems of climate change. Featured speakers from all over the world will be hosted virtually and in-person.

May 25-27, Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, details to be announced

FOOD

Tornado Siren Tap Takeover On the first Wednesday of every month, 1839 Taphouse hosts its Tornado Siren Tap Takeover. Check it out for a laid-back night of craft beer, sampler specials and more. May 4, 3–11:45 p.m., 1839 Taphouse, 441-1839

Dinner and Wine Series Once a month, Glenn’s Cafe hosts a decadent dinner event. The executive chef and a sommelier guides guests through a four-course dinner paired with different wines. Advance registration is required. May 10, 7 p.m., Glenn’s Cafe, $75 per person, 447-7100

Wine & Whiskers Prance over to Papa’s Cat Cafe for an evening of tannins and toe beans. Your ticket includes wine, cheese, baked goods, fruit, coloring and cat-tastic cuddles. Each month features wine and cheese from different regions. Reservations required. May 20, 5:30–7 p.m., Papa’s Cat Cafe, $20, 449-2287

MUSIC

Kirk Trevor and Missouri Academy of Music Well-known in the Columbia community for his enthusiastic performances, classical musical conductor Kirk Trevor will perform an energetic program with pieces spanning from Baroque to the modern-era. Trevor founded the Missouri Academy of Music with his wife, Maria, in summer 2021. The not-for-profit organization brings music and mentorship to young musicians. May 7, 7–9 p.m., Missouri

and musicians with a rock-country sound.

They released their debut album, The Quilt Album, in 1973, and will be in town to celebrate 50 years. May 17, 8 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $52–60, 882-3781

Gordon Lightfoot The Canadian singer-songwriter has international success spanning five decades. His 80 Years Strong lands in Columbia. May 17, 8 p.m., Missouri Theatre, concertseries.missouri.edu

Brothers Osborne on 9th Street Kick off the sunny season with The Blue Note’s first Summerfest event. John and TJ Osborne will fill Ninth Street with country rock jams, which have earned Country Music Association awards. May 20, 7 p.m., Ninth Street, $37 in advance; $40 day of, 874-1944

RECREATION

United Methodist Church, 875-0770

TriZou Triathlon and DuZou Duathlon

Ozark Mountain Daredevils 50th anniversary tour

The Trizou Triathlon has become one of the largest swimming pool triathlons in the country, and is a popular early season triathlon in the mid-Missouri region. May 6,

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils are best described as a collection of hippies, bohemians

Diverse programming you can’t find anywhere else.

It’s community radio!

KOPN

7 a.m., details to be announced

SHELTER PET & GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED PIANIST

Amazing stories start in shelters and rescues. Adopt today to start yours.

KEYBOARD CAT 8M+ YouTube Views

89.5 FM live streaming at kopn.org 22

VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

Photography by George Whit Frey

photo finish

MADE YOU LOOK PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATE TRABALKA Vox editor Jashayla Pettigrew models Euphoria-inspired glam from Younique Luxury Boutique for a story about the show’s eccentric style. The series has received acclaim for its early 2000s chic looks and colorful glittery makeup. Euphoria, one of the most-watched shows on HBO, has also received criticism for its explicit nature — trauma, addiction and destructive sex are depicted as part of the fictional high school students’ daily lives. See stories about Euphoria’s portrayal of addiction as well as a recreation of the show’s aesthetic on voxmagazine.com.

VOX MAGAZINE • SPRING PREVIEW 2022

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“A four-day celebration of art, music, and film, transforming downtown Columbia into a one-of-a-kind creative wonderland.”

true/false film fest March 3-6, 2022

S E S S A P L L A NOW! ON SALE

truefalse.org