Vol. 1, No. 5, September 5, 2025

Hello friends and public media family, 

Welcome back to The Green Room, and if you are new, thanks for joining us on this winding road through the arts. 

I am always in awe of the rich and diverse artistry in the Ozarks. Last week my wife, Melissa, and I celebrated our 11th anniversary in downtown Springfield and caught Pokey LaFarge, with local support from The Creek Rocks and Guinevere Goodwin. It was a blast and a reminder of the incredible women making music in our region. Cindy Woolf’s banjo and vocals with The Creek Rocks offer an intimate take on Ozarks folk music. Guinevere Goodwin gets better every time I see her, and her new band, anchored by a women-led rhythm section, was on fire. When Pokey took the stage, also featuring a female rhythm section, the room was electric. This weekend, Springfield celebrates more talented women. Step into The Green Room and get to know some of these artists with me. 

The Green Room Arts News Letter is presented by 

HERmonious Festival Returns for Fourth Year

Celebrating the wealth of women musicians in the Ozarks, local artists team up with Tie and Timber Beer Co. to raise funds for Women in Need of the Ozarks on Sept. 6, 2025, starting at 5 p.m. We spoke with participating artist Guinevere Goodwin about her musical journey and why supporting women locally matters...read more.

Women of Jazz Take Center Stage in Downtown Springfield

Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, Hold Fast Brewing hosts the inaugural Women of Jazz festival. With nine acts across two stages, the city’s jazz tradition comes through the voices of local women artists and other seasoned musicians...read more.

Arts News on KSMU is your long-standing source for what's happening in the Ozarks arts scene spotlighting local creators, performances, and cultural events every week. Tune in Fridays at 10 a.m. on 91.1-FM or stream at KSMU.org

👉Got a story, event, or artist I should know about? Share your arts and music tips with The Green Room and help us shine a spotlight on the creative pulse of the Ozarks! You can email them to me at JRea@MissouriState.edu.

Sponsored by DresslerPeters

Sept 5 - First Friday Artwalk Downtown Springfield

Sept 5 - 7 - 29th Japanese Fall Festival

Sept 6 - Christian County Outdoor Concert Series

Sept 6 - HERmonious Festival

Sept 7 - Women of Jazz Festival 

Sept 8 - Music Monday of the Ozarks with Doug Erb

Sept 9 - Blind Melon with Maximum Weekend 

🎶Friends don't leave friends out of the music and arts scene - they share all the local arts and music happenings.  Just forward this email to friends! 

The Green Room Weekly Arts News Letter is supported by the Downtown Springfield Association

I love to cook, but I have a problem that I am constantly trying to self-correct: I always want to use too many ingredients. I once worked for a chef who referred to my personal recipes as “absurdist cooking.” If an omelette has one cheese and one veg, why not three cheeses and seven veg? If a pasta dish is sitting pretty with a a little red sauce and some sauteed peppers, why not pile on a whole chicken? That chili that was already so good? Allow me to introduce, my friends, aged beef and mole sauce.  

Just about a month ago, an artist by the name of Mitchell Matthews submitted a new single to the Local Radar inbox. Except, the single wasn’t entirely new. It was actually a full band version of a lovely acoustic track by the name of “Memaria” that I had played on the show a few times over the last year. The original was a perfect little gem, and the thought that he had gone back to the well and done to this beautiful song what I would do to a slow-cooker pot roast (“Who wants queso??”) made me extremely nervous. 

I now have even worse news: it’s great. The layers upon layers of musical flavor he added to this track, now with his full band “Mitchell Matthews & The Media,” have only taken this magnificent musical dish and turned it into a feast. I need things like this not to work so I can learn from their failings and possibly get past my own. Instead, now I have TWO excellent versions of one great song, and a compulsion to see if I can make a five-chocolate cookie. 

So, give “Memaria” a spin, and check out Mitchell Matthews & The Media next Friday when they are our guests on Studio Live! Enjoy the track, add that extra fruit topping to your bacon boysenberry crepes, and we’ll see you next week! 

Local Radar with Ran Cummings is a weekly music and conversation radio show on KSMU featuring bands and performances from in and around the Ozarks every Friday night at 9 p.m. on 91.1 - FM or stream at KSMU.org. 

Join Ozarks Public Television as we celebrate 50 years of storytelling, learning, and community. Since 1975, OPT has been a beloved part of life in southwest Missouri—bringing Mister Rogers, Arthur, riveting documentaries, and local gems into our homes. This milestone honors the generations who’ve grown up with public television, the volunteers and donors who make it all possible, and the vibrant Ozarks spirit we all share. 

Studio Live with Melissa Rea and Jess Balisle airs the 2nd Friday of every month on KSMU. Tune in at 12 p.m. for an hour of live music and conversation with talented artists. Later that evening, experience the music in person at a FREE performance from 6–8 p.m. at Springfield Brewing Company.

September 12 - Mitchell Matthews & The Media

October 10 - Matteson Gregory

November 14 - Mr. Orange

December 12 - Drew Beine

In the mood to stay in? Queue up one of these videos handpicked by our staff at Ozarks Public Broadcasting, perfect for a night in when you're skipping the scene but still craving culture. 

These favorites from KSMU and OPT are just the beginning—there’s a whole world of storytelling, music, documentaries, and local gems waiting on you to dive in and discover at your local public broadcasting station. 

Was this email sent to you by a friend? If you'd love fresh takes, local gems, and behind-the-scenes artsy goodness in your inbox every week subscribe to The Green Room Arts News letter.

❤️Huge thanks to Terry M. for their generous tip to The Green Room last week. We appreciate you!

The Green Room: A Weekly Arts News Letter is a production of Ozarks Public Broadcasting. For more information about our programs and services please visit our website.

Mailing Address:
901 South National Ave.
Springfield, MO 65897

Telephone:

Ozarks Public Television 417-836-3500

KSMU Radio 417-836-5878

Websites:

www.optv.org | www.ksmu.org