Emagine launching live performance series
Emagine Entertainment’s Royal Oak location is branching out into the live performance business.
Starting April 9 with a concert by Ann Arborbased “The Voice” finalist Laith Al-Saadi, the company will partner with Detroit’s Litchfield Productions to present a LIVE @ Emagine weekend series in the multiplex on the northeast corner of Main Street and Eleven Mile Roads. Comedian Spencer James will follow on April 10, while subsequent dates include: Nashville singer-songwriters Kari Holmes and Lisa Mary, April 16; Detroit singers Nicole New and Ben Sharkey, April 17; and The Three Men and A Tenor” on April 18.
In addition to stepping into a niche created by the continuing shutdown of clubs, theaters and other regular performance venues, the move also allows Emagine to mitigate the declining number of theatrical film releases to fill its facilities.
Tickets for the shows run $15-$70. A variety of seating options include individual seats, luxury recliners, high-top tables and private boxes for up to 15 people. Emagine will enforce social distancing, mask wearing and other safety guidelines.
Emagine is considering live performances for some of its other locations, “depending on demand and arrangements.”
A divided West Bloomfield School District Board of Education voted Monday to remain in its current hybrid learning mode for the rest of the school year.
Monday’s meeting was the fourth time the board considered increasing its in-person learning to at least 20 hours per week. The Michigan Legislature passed legislation earlier this month that requires at least that much in-person school to qualify for certain federal and state funding.
The board voted 5-2 to keep the existing elementary school plan, 6-1 to keep the middle school plan and 5-2 to keep the high school plan. The board voted last month to approve the current plan, with students at all grade levels attending school in morning or afternoon cohorts every day except Wednesday.
The students have in-person instruction for half of the day and virtual or asynchronous learning for the other half. Wednesdays are used for teacher collaboration, planning and student interventions.
House Bill 4048, requiring at least 20 hours per week of in-person instruction, went into effect Monday. Several Oakland County districts modified their in-person plans to meet the requirements.
But districts around the state are asking for clarification, according to a letter from state Superintendent Michael Rice to key legislators.
The letter says it’s unclear whether districts that offer at least 20 hours of inperson instruction to some grade levels but not others will lose all of the funding in question, or just for the grades that aren’t given the mandated 20 hours. Rice said there are also questions about Monday’s deadline to implement the 20 hours. Districts want to know if the funding will be prorated if they reach 20 hours later in the school year.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered schools statewide to close for in-person learning in March 2020 to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
Since the beginning of the school year last fall, many local districts have offered only virtual learning or part-time in-person school, depending on how many coronavirus cases were reported in the region.