This is an EFA Presents! Admission Credit selection.

The silent film genius of Buster Keaton and the innovative modern music of Blue Dahlia seamlessly blend to create a fresh work of art that captivates students of all ages.

Silent film legend Buster Keaton stars in the 1927 classic comedy "The General". Set against the true Civil War story of a stolen train and enemy spies, Keaton plays a Confederate railroad engineer who becomes a one-man army when his two loves - his girl and his engine - are stolen by the Union. Engineer Johnny Gray sets off on a rollicking adventure to foil the Union's plans, recapture his engine and save his girl. The action culminates in the most expensive and elaborate special effects scene of the entire silent film era. "The General" is presented with an original modern score performed live by Kalamazoo's own Blue Dahlia.

Touted by the Detroit Free Press as, "more adventurous than anyone else dares to be," Blue Dahlia's creative signature knows no bounds. Blue Dahlia is a unique modern music quintet. Hypnotizing vocals tethered to plummeting bass lines create a perfect line of tension for delicate and driving guitar melody, all supported by a complex framework of multi-ethnic percussion. With artistic sensibilities stretching around the globe and across time, their original music has an unusually broad range of appeal.

Schedule
The performance runs approximately 60 minutes.
Monday, November 9, 2009 - Chenery Auditorium - 10:00 AM & 12:15 PM;
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - Chenery Auditorium - 10:00 AM;
Monday, January 11, 2010 - Kalamazoo Central High School - 10:00 AM;
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 - Kalamazoo Central High School - 10:00 AM.

Admission/Fees
Admission is $2.00 per student or use the EFA Presents! Admission Credit for grades K-8.

Preview and Resources

• Window on the Work: Blue Dahlia and "The General" (PDF)
• Video Clip Previews: "Stealing Back The General", Blue Dahlia

This activity is funded in part by the Michigan Humanities Council.