by TRACY ZOLLINGER TURNER
Once again, Bloomington-based singer-songwriter Krista Detor will be staying close to home for the holidays, performing an annual show to benefit a local nonprofit organization. “It’s my way of giving back to the community and, at this point, it feels like a tradition, although it’s always a little bit different,” says the internationally acclaimed performer.
Proceeds from her 13th holiday show will benefit the South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP). She sees SCCAP as an organization committed to helping elevate individuals out of poverty, rather than just eliminating its symptoms. The title of the show is Stepping Up.
“It’s a multi-layered idea that refers to our need, as a community, to step up to the rising poverty in our town, county, and state,” she says. “SCCAP does that in its work to not only address the poverty issue but to actually assist impoverished families in stepping up and into financial stability and potential.”
The title also refers to Detor’s stepped-up vision of this year’s show. “For years it’s been a wonderful kind of hometown talent show—very loosely woven, and highly improvised,” she says. “This year, it’s about exceeding expectations, stepping up to new musical and live-performance challenges, and incorporating theatrical and multimedia aspects and effects.”
The December 13 show, to be held at the FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, 505 W. 4th St., will start at 7:30 p.m. As in years past, the show will be preceded by a handmade arts market.
Detor has other exciting projects brewing, including a collaboration with Travis Puntarelli, Michael White, and Amanda Biggs on a musical treatment of local biographer Michael Sheldon’s book Melville in Love. It tells the story of Herman Melville’s affair with a married woman who became his muse as he penned Moby Dick. She also continues to welcome artists from all over the world to residencies at her local retreat, The Hundredth Hill.
“Working more outwardly at collaboration at every level and fostering the arts as a catalyst for social change is basically my mission at this point,” she says.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bctboxoffice.org.
