For support of the Walker's performing arts program, we are most grateful to the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the William W. and Nadine M. McGuire Commissioning Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Major program sponsors included Accenture, Macy's Gives, and Microsoft. Additional support was provided by Altria Group, Inc., Peggy and Ralph Burnet, the Bush Foundation, Creative Capital Foundation Multi-Arts Production Fund, the Jerome Foundation, the Moore Family Fund for the Arts of the Minneapolis Foundation, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and the National Performance Network (NPN). We are also grateful to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and the Star Tribune for their promotional support of our performing arts season.
Highlights from the Walker's film season included the Jerome Hill Centennial: A Filmmaker and His Legacy, a special series highlighting the profound influence St. Paul native Jerome Hill had on 20th-century avant-garde film, with support from the Jerome Foundation; the Global Film Initiative's Global Lens series showcasing challenging and innovative works from developing nations; and films by Andy Warhol, which were presented in conjunction with the exhibition ANDY WARHOL/SUPERNOVA: Stars, Deaths, and Disasters, 1962-1964.
During the ongoing Regis Dialogues and Retrospectives series, the Walker hosted Oscar Award-winning director Ang Lee in conversation with James Schamus, with the area premiere of Lee's highly acclaimed film Brokeback Mountain; and independent film actor Lili Taylor interviewed by B. Ruby Rich, along with a prerelease screening of the Minnesota-filmed Factotum, starring Taylor and Matt Dillon. We are very pleased to receive ongoing support for this series from Regis Foundation.
In July and August, Summer Music & Movies: Catching Rays, copresented with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, featured melodramas and film noirs directed by Wisconsin native Nicholas Ray, such as Rebel Without a Cause, The Lusty Men, and Bigger Than Life. Live music for the series was provided by Arcwelder, the House of Mercy Band, Thunder in the Valley, Melodious Owl, Doomtree, and Issa Bagayogo. The series was sponsored by Lunds, with promotional assistance provided by City Pages and Drive 105.
