Showing posts with label Delaware Arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delaware Arts. Show all posts

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Kick Up Your Heels with Wilmington Drama League's Snazzy "Kinky Boots"

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.


The cast of WDL's Kinky BootsPhotography by Rich Lee

The Wilmington Drama League
is staging an enthusiastic rendition of the much-beloved show Kinky Boots at its refurbished theater on Lea Boulevard. If the standing ovation the players received on Opening Night is any indication, this production is one the reader should make plans to experience!

Kinky Boots is an award-winning musical with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein. Based on the 2005 British film of the same name – written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth (and mostly inspiredby true events) – the musical tells the incredible story of Charlie Price. Having inherited a shoe factory from his father, Charlie forms an unlikely partnership with drag queen Lola to produce a line of high-heeled boots and save the business. In the process, Charlie and Lola discover that they aren’t so different plus are stronger together than apart.

Disparate Charlie (Stephen Piergrossi) and Lola (Aubrey Murphy) connect over two common bonds – shoes and people. Charlie is as loyal to his factory workers as Lola is to her “Angels” – drag performers like her who form her family. They are also true to themselves – who they are and what they aspire to be. 

Piergrossi and Murphy leapt off the stage with powerful voices and sincere emotions that kept the audience rapt. Piergrossi excelled with his touching solo “The Soul of a Man.” It seemed like every Lola song morphed into an epic disco number with bright lights, a chorus of dancers, and a party atmosphere. Murphy held the audience in a trance with her subtle yet strong movements and pointed dialog. You really can’t take your eyes off her. “Celebrate yourself triumphantly,” she says…and does.

Kudos to director/choreographer Patrick Murray for filling every inch of the multi-level modular stage (by Aaron Cook) with dancers, props, and overall action. I especially enjoyed the slapping fans, elevated conveyor belt catwalking, and the visuals during the boxing match. Timothy Cannon and Laurene Eckbold must be cited for the costuming of everyone in the show, but especially Lola and her Angels. The sassy Angels were played by Cannon, Tommy Fisher-Klein, Keian Hagstrom, Todd Hartsock, Galen Keliikuli, and Ricky López.

The crux of any show is the interaction between characters on stage and with the audience. There’s no room for “stupid hubris” (Charlie) and the actors bear all for us to appreciate. At the same time, the core for any musical is the performance of the songs. While many of the songs feel the same, the high energy and quality of the vocals elevate the musical numbers into crowd-pleasers. Simply put, this production of Kinky Boots has you rooting for all sides to win from the get-go. The coda “Raise You Up/Just Be” got the crowd up and moving in their seats for a rollicking finale.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t single out solid performances by Meghan Arters (Nicola) and Catherine Callahan (Lauren) as Charlie’s romantic interests. Both portray characters with kind souls who have no real malice toward people when things aren’t quite going their way. They’re both strong actresses and singers whose postures and authenticities shone.

Performances of Kinky Boots run from March 8 through 17 on Friday and Saturday nights (8 pm) plus two Sunday matinees (2 pm). Tickets prices are $25 with senior/student tickets $20 and children (12 or younger) $15. Group ticket rates are also available through the box office. Tickets can be purchased online at wilmingtondramaleague.org; by contacting the box office at 302.764.1172; or visiting in person at 10 Lea Boulevard. The show runs approximately 2.5 hours with one intermission.

The Wilmington Drama League seats 260 patrons, including six wheelchair bays. The newly revamped theater is equipped with an ADA compliant entrance ramp and bathrooms. “Flex Tickets” are also an option for those who plan to watch several WDL shows, but maybe not all of them. Inquire at the box office. 

“The most beautiful thing in the world is a [red!] shoe.” – Lola

Saturday, February 10, 2024

REP Delivers Multilayered Story with Stark Examination of Race in Play "Pass Over"

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Justin William Davis (Moses) and Jeffrey Rashad (Kitch) in
The REP's 
performance of Pass Over by Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu.

Photo by Evan Krape.

The Resident Ensemble Players (REP) deliver
a stark examination of race with the play, Pass Over, by award-winning American playwright Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu. Pass Over is a loose amalgamation of the classic Waiting for Godot (Samuel Beckett) and the Book of Exodus told in a modern urban setting. 

The play spotlights two young black men who pass each day on a city street corner talking trash, killing time, and dreaming of the “Promised Land.” Then, a (white) stranger wanders into their space and disrupts whatever plans they may have…or wish for.

“It’s a spiritual and existential story,” says Hassan El-Amin, REP company member and director of Pass Over. “It’s a story of love, joy, hope, despair, longing, friendship, family, social conditioning. Pass Over is multilayered.”

Nwandu began writing Pass Over after the 2012 killing of 17-year-old Floridian Trayvon Martin and the outcome of the ensuing George Zimmerman murder trial. Nwandu channeled her feelings of anger, sadness, and frustration into this compelling, unfiltered play.

Word of caution: This is a mature show with adult language and scenes of violence, including gun shots. While the bawdy talk sometimes feels gratuitous, there is contextual relevance in the vernacular Moses (Justin William Davis) and Kitch (Jeffrey Rashad) use to describe their seemingly never-ending situation.

Moses and Kitch appear to exist in a state of purgatory, where their days are fruitless and tedious due to their lack of initiative and impulse. Police choppers fly over their corner of Martin Luther King and Freedom Drives while the two pals make top ten lists of what their dream lives would entail.

But an odd white man (Mic Matarrese) in a suit and boater hat interrupts their usual discussions. Mister (or “Master”) disrupts whatever semblance of constancy the two black men had in their patch of the city. Challenges of norms by Mister and verbal provocations by both sides take the action to heightened levels. Matarrese (as Mister) is excellent at pushing Moses’ buttons while Kitch somehow sees positives in what the visitor represents, even though there are cultural chasms and significant distrust between them.

Visiting actors Davis and Rashad do a beautiful job of switching from wistful to defensive to brotherly to defiant. The roles must be fully embraced to spew the sorts of emotions Moses and Kitch feel throughout the show. REP company member Matarrese plays his roles of Mister and Ossifer — a policeman — with a certain menacing poise. He must walk a thin line between the huckleberry lost stranger Mister and the no-nonsense Ossifer.

To reveal dialog and plot direction in this review would be a disservice to the writing and performance of the company. During this play, both the journey and destination are worth deep evaluation. The ending was affecting and sudden. Many remained in their seats absorbing what had just happened.

Nwandu has embraced revising Pass Over’s ending to continue to engage with the current events and audience. “Each time I go back with this play, I ask, ‘What’s happening in the world? Who’s actually going to be in those seats?’”

Acknowledging that having multiple Pass Over scripts offers multiple interpretations, Nwandu encourages theaters to use the version that fits the needs of the specific community. “I now have three versions of this play from this era of American history,” says Nwandu. “If your community needs the angry version, then do that. Present whichever version you need.”

“To be able to put this play on stage in 2024 when it was born in 2012, shows you the power of the story,” says director Hassan El-Amin. “But it also shows you how far we have to go to overcome whatever this sickness is, this disease, we have when it comes to the value of life for African Americans in the United States.”

Pass Over is an emotionally charged and powerfully impactful story that brilliantly blends modern poetry, Biblical verse, and funny modern refrains. Kudos to the creative team at the REP: El-Amin (Director); Stefanie Hansen (Scenic Designer); Jo Fulmer (Costume Designer); Eileen Smitheimer (Lighting Designer); and Ryan P. McGinty (Sound Designer).

Performances of Pass Over run from February 8 through 18 with Opening Night being February 9. Informal talkbacks with the cast take place following the evening performances on Saturday February 10 and Thursday February 15. Tickets prices are only $20 with discounts available for students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rep.udel.edu; by contacting the REP box office at (302)831-2204; or visiting in person at 110 Orchard Road Tuesdays through Fridays from 12 to 5 PM. The show runs approximately 85 minutes.

The Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts is located on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus and is ADA-compliant. It is equipped with a hearing loop system, which works with hearing aid t-coils, cochlear implants, and in-house hearing devices. Wheelchair and other seating requests can be made prior to the performance by calling 302.831.2204 or emailing cfa-boxoffice@udel.edu.

“You are men and you are free to go.” – Kitch

Monday, December 18, 2023

Delaware Shakespeare Announces New Leadership

The contents of this post comes from a press release from Delaware Shakespeare... 

Delaware Shakespeare will begin 2024 with two dynamic arts leaders heading up the state’s largest professional Shakespeare company:
  • Mariah Ghant, now the artistic associate and literary manager for the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, will become Delaware Shakespeare’s artistic director.
  • Robert Tombari, now the program director of Goshen Theater in Goshen, Indiana, will step into the role of managing director.
DelShakes' new Managing Director, Robert Tombari,
and new Artistic Director, Mariah Ghant. 
“After a months-long search, the board and I are incredibly excited to welcome Mariah and Robert to Delaware, and to introduce our audiences to them,” said Julie Russ, president of the board of Delaware Shakespeare. “Individually, they impressed us with their talent, their passion, and their drive to continue the work that David Stradley has pursued over the last decade. Together, they’ll be unstoppable.”

Delaware Shakespeare audiences will recognize Ghant as having played Hippolyta/Titania in the company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Rodney Square, and last summer as the title role in Macbeth. She has served a term on the Delaware Shakespeare Artistic Squad and has held various arts administration roles in Philadelphia, as well as being a former Arden Theatre Company Apprentice (Class 26), a member of Theatre Contra, and an improviser with ComedySportz Philly. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, she is an alumna of Vassar College.

"I have a strong desire to continue making meaningful art for the Delaware community, a vibrant collection of folks and organizations who have embraced me and my artistry,” Ghant said. “This is a team and an organization that has an incredible opportunity to develop theatre for everyone in the community, and I look forward to the journey ahead!"

Tombari has been the program director of Goshen Theater since 2022. Robert and his partner, Peter, are both from Spokane, Washington. While living in Washington, Robert co-founded The Spokane Shakespeare Society, served as board president of Stage Left Theater, and was the executive director of Spokane Ensemble Theatre. He has previously served on the board of Goshen Pride, and is a current board member/production team member of The Cursed Players based in Los Angeles. He received his BA in Performance from Boise State University, and his MFA in Acting from The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

“It’s exciting to be joining such an amazing organization as Del Shakes,” Tombari said. “The work that previous leadership, board members, artists, creatives, and volunteers have done for this organization shows me how community minded and forward thinking it is, and I am excited to continue to work for and with my new community.”

David Stradley has led Delaware Shakespeare as the company’s producing artistic director since 2011, spearheading a period of exponential growth that saw the creation of the Delaware Shakespeare Community Tour and art programming throughout the state. He will step down from his role at the end of the year.

"I'm elated that Mariah and Robert have said 'yes' to leading Del Shakes during its continued evolution as a community-centered theatre company,” Stradley said. “It's been an honor to work with Mariah as a member of the Artistic Squad and watch her lead a wide variety of programs that spoke to a broad mix of Delawareans. And I can already tell that Robert is going to be a force upon his arrival in Wilmington, embracing the opportunity to provide theatre for as many of his new neighbors as possible. I look forward to supporting them both, and joining you all as audiences for the thrilling experiences that are coming our way."

Ghant and Tombari will announce plans for the 2024 season of Delaware Shakespeare early next year.

About Delaware Shakespeare
Now in its twenty-first season, Delaware Shakespeare creates year-round professional theatre and learning programs for residents and friends of the State of Delaware. At Del Shakes, people from all walks of life celebrate and explore their shared humanity through the lens of Shakespearean work.

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

The DSO Invites Audiences to Dance in the Aisles for ¡Musica Bravo!

The content of this post comes from a press release from the Delaware Symphony Orchestra...

The Delaware Symphony Orchestra (DSO) continues its 118th season with a performance of ¡Musica Bravo! on Friday, November 10, 7:30pm at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington and Sunday, November 12, 2:30pm at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes.

The DSO welcomes guest condcutor Michelle Di Russo
& guest guitarist João Luiz for its November concerts. 
The concert welcomes guest conductor Michelle Di Russo and guitarist João Luiz in a performance that features Latin- and Hispanic-inspired works. Di Russo will be the first female conductor to take the DSO podium in several decades.

“If I could pick a program that represents my absolute love for music, it would be this one,” says Di Russo. “I believe it truly showcases where my passion for music and my roots connect through classical music.”

Di Russo is certain this program will resonate with both first-time concertgoers and experienced music lovers. “This program will make you fall in love with the hypnotic, beautiful Latin and Hispanic melodies and rhythms,” she says. “I am also happy that I get to share music by Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera. It is extremely special for me to be able to perform music from my country.”

Di Russo, who is of Argentinian/Italian descent, is known for her compelling interpretations, passionate musicality, and championing of contemporary music. She currently serves as Associate Conductor of the North Carolina Symphony in Raleigh, N.C.

Guest artist João Luiz — half of the Brasil Guitar Duo who have performed previously with the DSO — joins the Symphony on Spanish acoustic guitar to bring the sounds of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez to life. The program also includes works by Márquez, de Falla, Rimsky-Korsakov, and the aforementioned Ginastera.

The orchestra will repeat this performance in Sussex County, travelling to Cape Henlopen High School on Sunday, November 12, for a 2:30 p.m. concert.

“We're very excited to bring you this dynamic program and welcome to the stage guest conductor Michelle Di Russo,” said Chief Executive Officer, J.C. Barker. “Don't miss these concerts. You will be dancing in the aisles!"

Subscription packages and single tickets for all concerts are available. Visit DelawareSymphony.org or call 302.656.7442 for more details.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Five Delaware Arts Organizations Receive Special Presenter Initiatives Grants from MidAtlantic Arts

The contents of this post originate from a press release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...

Mid Atlantic Arts, in partnership with the Delaware Division of the Arts, has announced over $102,000 in grants, across five states, through the 2023-2024 Special Presenter Initiatives program.

The Special Presenter Initiatives program provides funding to small and mid-size presenting organizations in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and the Native nations that share this geography. The program supports presenting projects with professional touring artists and ensembles from anywhere worldwide. The supported projects include public performances as well as community engagement activities that enhance the performance experience and offer meaningful exchanges between touring artists and a presenter’s community.

The artistic engagements proposed by applicant presenters are diverse in performance genre and artist identity. Examples of Special Presenter Initiatives engagement and community exchange include Delaware-based, groundbreaking female Kora player Sona Jobarteh will be presented in her home state by Arden Club, along with her band, to share her evolution of the African musical tradition through performances and an open Q/A and sound-check.
African Kora virtuoso Sona Jobarteh.
African Kora virtuoso Sona Jobarteh will appear at Arden Concert Gild this season, as part of Arden's 
Mid Atlantic Arts grant. 
“We congratulate the grantees of the 2023-2024 Special Presenter Initiatives program,” said Jessica Ball, the Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “These grants will play a pivotal role in bringing exceptional artists and diverse performances to the First State. Our mission at the Delaware Division of the Arts is to foster artistic excellence and enrich the cultural landscape of Delaware, and these grants align perfectly with that goal. We are excited to witness the meaningful exchanges between touring artists and our communities, and we look forward to the transformative impact these performances will have on our state.”

The 2023-2024 grantees from Delaware include:
“Mid Atlantic Arts plays a vital role in bringing exceptionally talented artists to our community through their generous support,” said Delaware Symphony Orchestra CEO J.C. Barker. “Not only does their assistance enable the DSO to showcase these important artists, but it also provided the necessary resources to foster a collaboration with young talents at the Music School of Delaware. This partnership created invaluable opportunities for aspiring young musicians to learn from a musical virtuoso.”

“CCAC is humbled and honored to be the recipient of a Special Presenter Initiative Grant from Mid Atlantic Arts,” said Christina Cultural Arts Center Executive Director James Rhodes. “As we continue to move beyond shuttered venues and welcome visitors back to CCAC, this funding allows us to engage dynamic artists from around our region and across the country to reconnect with our thousands of supporters.”

Ron Ozer from the Arden Concert Gild stated, “the Special Presenters grant allows Arden Concert Gild to take bigger risks booking unusual eclectic but top tier artists from around the world, such as Lankum, in one of only 5 appearances across the US in one week in 2023.”

Carol Dennis, Executive Director of Coastal Concerts stated, “I’m a strong believer that music has a special way of inspiring and transforming our lives in a multitude of ways. The Mid Atlantic Arts Special Presenter Initiative Program is a remarkable program that allows us to enrich the lives of the youth and adults in southern Delaware by supporting the presentation of our educational outreach programs and concerts by renowned musicians.”

About the Delaware Division of the Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

About Mid Atlantic Arts
Mid Atlantic Arts supports artists, presenters, and organizations through unique programming, grant support, partnerships, and information sharing. Created in 1979, Mid Atlantic Arts is aligned with the region’s state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts. We combine state and federal funding with private support from corporations, foundations, and individuals to nurture diverse artistic expression while connecting people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond. To learn more about Mid Atlantic Arts visit www.midatlanticarts.org.

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

The Delaware Symphony Orchestra Announces 118th Season of Bold New Artists & Repertoire

A sold-out audience at DSO's March 2023 concert.
Photo by Joe del Tufo.
The content of this post comes from a Delaware Symphony Orchestra press release...

The Delaware Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is proud to announce its 118th season, featuring a captivating lineup of performances. The season will include five Classics Series concerts, three Chamber Series concerts, a return to the Hotel du Pont's Gold Ballroom, and two concerts in Sussex County.

Classics Series: The Classics Series is the DSO’s full-orchestra concert experience with featured guest artists performed at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington and Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes.

Kicking off the series on Friday, October 13, 2023, is Sky, Sea, and Rhapsody. Under the leadership of Music Director Laureate David Amado, the DSO will perform Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, featuring acclaimed guest pianist Stewart Goodyear as well as Claude Debussy's timeless masterpiece, La Mer.

In the next Classics concert, ¡Música Bravo!, guest conductor Michelle Di Russo and guitarist João Luiz will take audiences on a vibrant journey through Hispanic and Latin-inspired works by Arturo Márquez, Alberto Ginastera, Manuel de Falla, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The program will be performed in both Wilmington and Lewes, Delaware, on November 10 and 12, 2023.

On January 19, 2024, the New Year commences with From Home to Rome, directed by guest conductor André Raphel and featuring the virtuosic talents of violinist Jennifer Frautschi performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. In addition, this concert will feature West Chester native Samuel Barber's Symphony in One Movement and Ottorino Respighi's majestic Pines of Rome.

March 22 and 24, 2024, invites you to A John Williams Celebration — the iconic themes from Star Wars, Harry Potter, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and more — led by guest conductor Scott Speck. This program will also be performed in both Wilmington and Lewes, Delaware.

The final Classics concert on April 26, 2024 — Amado Conducts Mahler — welcomes Maestro Amado back to the podium for Gustav Mahler's epic masterpiece, Symphony No. 7 "Song of the Night.”

Chamber Series: The Chamber Series offers intimate concerts, featuring smaller ensembles, at venues including the DuPont Country Club and the Gold Ballroom of the Hotel du Pont.

The first concert, Percussionists of the DSO, on October 24, 2023, promises an unforgettable evening showcasing the artistry and versatility of these DSO musicians. This exciting concert will feature the works of contemporary composers Joe Taylor, Michael Udow, Ney Rosauro, as well as the Baroque genius, G. F. Handel.

On December 12, 2023, we return to the glittering Gold Ballroom of the Hotel du Pont for Holidays at the Hotel, a delightful evening of festive melodies for the entire family, featuring the talents of Delaware's own baritone Grant Youngblood and works by Bach and Tchaikovsky.

On February 13, 2024, the final Chamber concert showcases Music of the African Diaspora. The Musicians of the DSO will perform works by influential composers Valerie Coleman, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Adolphus Hailstork, Jessie Montgomery, and Carlos Simon.

“This season represents our most diverse programming yet,” said Executive Director J.C. Barker. “Our audiences have grown significantly this past season, and we cannot wait to share this extraordinary lineup of music and artists with our friends, both old and new! We know this season will deliver performances that audiences of all ages and experience can connect with and enjoy.”

Subscription packages are available now; single tickets for all concerts will be available for sale starting August 15, 2023.

Visit DelawareSymphony.org or call 302.656.7442 for more details.

Thursday, June 22, 2023

Delaware Art Museum & City of Wilmington's District 8 Mural Partnership

The content of this post comes from a press release from the Delaware Art Museum...

The Delaware Art Museum has partnered with Wilmington City Councilperson Nathan Field on a mural project, “Nature’s Palette,” with images and words inspired by nature. The works will be on view throughout City Council District 8 beginning in this month through the remainder of 2023.

They will be installed throughout the built environment of District 8 in the following locations:
  • Gilpin Liquors
  • Luther Towers
  • BrewHaHa Trolley Square
  • The intersection of Delaware Avenue and Dupont Street
  • Lincoln Towers
  • Southeast Kitchen
  • Joseph E. Johnson Jr. School
  • The intersection of Pennsylvania and Greenhill Avenues outside the Marian Coffin Garden
The Museum is situated in the center of District 8, which begins at the western border of Wilmington that wraps around Rockford Park, and ends just east of Cool Spring Park, with its northern and southern borders defined by Brandywine Park and Wawaset Park, so the murals are all in the general Museum vicinity.

District 8 Councilperson Nathan Field says, “I'm incredibly excited to work with the Art Museum team to grow the City of Wilmington as an Artistic and Cultural destination not just in the First State of Delaware but throughout the extended Tri-State region. Walking around the neighborhood and seeing scenes from nature that are so culturally meaningful to Delawareans integrated into the streetscape is so thrilling."

“Nature’s Palette” features enlarged intricate and vibrant details of paintings and drawings from DelArt’s Pre-Raphaelite collection, combined with quotations inspired by nature and poetry penned by Victorian-era writers.

Sophie Lynford, Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection, says, “Pre-Raphaelite artists lamented that nineteenth-century industrialization was destroying both natural and historic landmarks. These concerns remain urgent today.”

The murals include Pre-Raphaelite works by artists Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon, Walter Crane, Henry Farrer, George James Howard, John Everett Millais, and William Henry Millais. Paired with these are quotations from authors Emily Brontë, George Eliot, Felicia Hemans, Christina Rossetti, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and John Ruskin.

Margaret Winslow, Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art, says, “The Pre-Raphaelite collection is a much-loved core of the Delaware Art Museum. These works of art have inspired generations of artists and art lovers throughout the greater Wilmington community and across the United States.”

Friday, January 13, 2023

DDOA Names 2023 Individual Artist Fellowships

The content of this post comes from a press release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...

Image detail: Artwork of Lauren E. Peters, 2023 Established Arts Fellow

The prestigious Individual Artist Fellowships from the Delaware Division of the Arts recognize artists in a variety of disciplines for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards.

In 2023, the Division received work samples from 118 Delaware musicians, writers, and folk, media, and visual artists. The work samples were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals who considered the demonstrated creativity and skill in each artist’s respective art form. Seventeen artists were awarded fellowships in the following categories — two Masters; seven Established; and eight Emerging. The 17 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Bridgeville, Claymont, Felton, Harrington, Lewes, Newark, Smyrna, and Wilmington.

NEW FOR 2023: Thanks to a generous increase in funding from the Department of State, the awards have increased — $5,000 for Emerging Artists; $8,000 for Established Professionals; and $12,000 for Masters — to allow artists to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs that will help advance their careers. This funding has also allowed the Division to award a second Masters Fellowship.

Master Fellowship ($12,000)

  • B. Proud — Visual Arts: Photography, Wilmington
  • TAHIRA  Folk Art: Oral Literature, Claymont

Established Fellowship ($8,000)

  • Joyce Barbagallo — Literature: Fiction, Wilmington
  • Ron Meick — Visual Arts: Sculpture, Wilmington
  • Michael Miller — Folk Art: Music, Felton
  • Mary Pauer — Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Bridgeville
  • Christopher Penna — Literature: Poetry, Newark
  • Lauren E. Peters — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
  • IVA (Emily Tepe) — Music: Contemporary Performance, Wilmington

Emerging Fellowship ($5,000)

  • Jill Althouse-Wood — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
  • Bryant (Tee) Bell — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
  • Liz DeJesus — Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Wilmington
  • Constanza (Cony) Madariaga — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
  • James Morgan — Media Arts: Video/Film, Harrington
  • Charlese Phillips — Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary, Smyrna
  • Kim Hoey Stevenson — Literature: Fiction, Lewes
  • Anne Yarbrough — Literature: Poetry, New Castle

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

A Taste of "Arsenic and Old Lace" at The REP

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.


Arsenic and Old Lace playing now through November 20.
Photo courtesy of The REP.
The University of Delaware’s Resident Ensemble Players (REP) kicks off its 2022-23 season with the great American farcical black comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring.

This enduring play, originally staged on Broadway in 1941, continues to astound audiences with its ingenious and brilliant construction. The current production at the REP carries on the grand tradition of the show and entertains from opening curtain to curtain call.

“Some of you may have heard the pandemic radio version of the play and now you can see the real thing. It’s about two older women that relieve older gentleman of their loneliness by killing them with arsenic. You can think of it as a euthanasia comedy.”
— Steve Tague, the REP's new Interim Producing Artistic Director.

The show revolves around the odd members of the Brewster family in their stately Brooklyn home. Mortimer Brewster (Mic Matarrese) is living a happy life in the large old mansion. He has a good job as a drama critic at a prominent New York newspaper and he’s just become engaged to his neighbor Elaine Harper (Erin Partin). His spinster aunts Abby (Kathleen Pirkl Tague) and Martha (Elizabeth Heflin) dote on him and are adored by the community. They even look after and protect Mortimer’s quirky brother Teddy (Lee E. Ernst) who believes he is Teddy Roosevelt.

Mortimer’s world is turned upside down when he discovers that his dear aunts have been quietly poisoning lonely old men and burying them in the basement for years. Aside from this new revelation, long lost maniacal brother Jonathan (Stephen Pelinski) returns on the night that the aunts are planning to bury their newest victim. His somewhat unwilling partner Dr. Einstein (Michael Gotch) adds ghoulish layers to Jonathan’s mysterious past. Mortimer must rally to help his aunts, foil his brother’s nefarious plans, and protect his fiancé – all while trying to maintain his own sanity. Even the local cops (Rob Hancock and John Plumpis) become part of the action, both good and bad; albeit unwittingly. Put it this way, the plot is always swirling… As Abby Brewster says, “How delicious!”

The beautiful set design and construction is the first thing that catches the eye upon entering the theater. It is a wonder of planning and carpentry that includes fine wooden details, wallpaper, portraits, animal heads, and doors…so many doors. Kudos to Stefanie Hansen and her crew.

The actors all shine, but the menace is real when Pelinski’s Jonathan looms on stage. Matarrese does a great job of looking peaceful one minute and utterly distressed the next. His physical and mental exhaustion from the escapades he faces puts the audience on his side. 

The show is funny throughout, but the comedic highlights mostly happen in the second act with many quick and clever jokes. Aunts Abby and Martha (Heflin and Tague) always aim to please and drop some great deadpan one-liners while doing so. The old women just want what’s best for everyone they meet, even believing that serving their killer elderberry wine is a neighborly service. It is, but solely for our entertainment!

My suggestion is to plan an evening out in Newark to enjoy some great theater, but watch out for the apparent kindness of elderly female strangers.

Arsenic and Old Lace will run through November 20 at Thompson Theatre inside the Roselle Center for the Arts (CFA) on the campus of the University of Delaware. Evening shows start at 7:30 and curtain is at 2 for matinees. The performance runs approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, with two 10-minute intermissions. 

Tickets ($35-39) can be purchased at the theatre box office or online. Please call the box office at (302) 831-2204 or e-mail cfa-boxoffice@udel.edu for information. 

For more information, visit www.rep.udel.edu.

Monday, June 6, 2022

49th Annual Members' Fine Craft Show Kicks Off Summer at Rehoboth Art League

The content of this post comes from a press release from Rehoboth Art League...

The Rehoboth Art League (RAL) has an exciting range of shows coming up this June and July. Summer at RAL will kick off with the 49th Annual Members’ Fine Craft Exhibition, as well as Barbara Martin’s Eastward to Wyoming, Prints and Paintings by Alexi Natchev, and Faces of Many Nations clay masks by Amelie Sloan. All are on display June 10 to July 17. On June 10 from 5:00-7:00pm, RAL will host receptions for all the exhibitions, inviting anyone interested to visit the Corkran, Tubbs, Ventures, and Homestead Galleries to see these new shows.

The Members’ Fine Craft Exhibition is a signature summer show for the league and contains works created by member artists in a wide variety of media, including baskets, ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, wood, and more. Artists and the public are invited to hear from this year’s exhibition judge, Andrea Uravitch, during her free Gallery Talk on Saturday, June 11, at 10:00am in the Corkran Gallery. Uravitch, who has shown in over 300 hundred invitational, juried, and solo shows in museums, galleries, art centers, college galleries and institutions, will discuss her selection of the award-winning pieces.

Taking over the Ventures this month will be abstract works in Barbara Martin's solo show, Eastward to Wyoming. This collection was inspired by Martin’s time at the Jentel Artist Residency in the Lower Piney Creek Valley of the majestic Bighorn Mountains in eastern Wyoming. Using the rhythm of the passing landscape and summer sky, these works encompass the movement and sensations of the vast openness of the Montana and Wyoming area.  

RAL’s historic Peter Marsh Homestead will display Prints and Paintings by Alexi Natchev. Born, educated, and starting his artistic career in Bulgaria, Natchev’s body of work, as a whole, reflects the scope and range of his creative endeavors in different fields of visual art: illustration, drawing, painting, and public art. This exhibit displays Natchev’s range, giving viewers the chance to see his technical processes and layered technics. 

Finally, the DeWitt Gallery will showcase Faces of Many Nations, a display of Amelie Sloan’s ceramic hand-built masks. A longtime RAL member and niece of one of the league’s founding members, Ethel P.B. Leach, Amelie leaves a lasting legacy at RAL, with a namesake room in the pottery studio on campus as well as an endowed exhibition award offered annually for excellence in ceramic hand building. This exhibition will allow the public the rare opportunity to purchase some of Amelie’s masks.  

The exhibitions are free and open to everyone during regular gallery hours of Monday through Saturday, 10:00am to 4:00pm and Sunday, noon to 4:00pm.

Visit https://www.rehobothartleague.org/.

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Glowing Goose Productions hosts a 24-hour Musical Extravaganza!

Delaware Arts Info reviewer Charles "Ebbie" Alfree III discusses No Sleep ‘Til Theatre: A 24-hour Musical Extravaganza with Lacey Eriksen, Executive Director of Glowing Goose Productions, and Sarah Nowak, Artistic Director of Glowing Goose and director of the 24-hour musical extravaganza!


For additional information or to purchase tickets for No Sleep ‘Til Theatre: A 24-hour Musical Extravaganza on June 4 and 5 at 6:00pm, at Theater N in downtown Wilmington, visit www.glowinggooseproductions.org.

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Delaware Division of the Arts Hosts Annual State Employee Art Exhibit

The content of this post comes from a Delaware Division of the Arts press release...










The Delaware Division of the Arts will host the 11th annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition, from February 21 to March 14, 2022 at the Art Center/Gallery at Delaware State University, Dover. 

This year, more than 200 State of Delaware employees and their family members submitted artwork and will be competing for awards and cash prizes. The exhibition is free and open to the public. 

Prizes include:
  • Adult, Amateur, Intermediate & Professional
    • First Place Awards of $350
    • Second Place Awards of $250 
    • Third Place Awards of $150
  • Youth/Teen
    • First Place Awards of $150
    • Second Place Awards of $100
    • Third Place Awards of $50
  • A Best of Show Award of $400
  • An Art Education Award of $200 for reimbursement for arts instruction and materials
  • People’s Choice Award, Facebook and in-person ballot
Additional awards including Honorable Mentions will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Awards are limited to one cash award per artist per classification.

Visitors are invited to join Division and Art Center/Gallery staff for a special, weekend-long celebration of all this year’s participants and to see the winning artwork during the exhibition’s final weekend, Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13 from 12:00-4:00pm. There will be activities, snacks, and giveaways for Gallery visitors.

The exhibition at the Arts Center/Gallery can be viewed during these hours:
  • Monday: Closed to the public
  • Tuesday: 10:00am-6:00pm
  • Wednesday-Friday: 10:00am-4:00pm
  • Saturdays, March 5 & 12: 12:00-4:00pm
  • Sunday, March 13: 12:00-4:00pm
Sponsored by the National Arts Program in support and cooperation with the State of Delaware and the Delaware Division of the Arts, the exhibit is judged by professional artists and visual art professionals. The Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition is designed to give artists at all skill levels a unique opportunity to exhibit their creative work and to compete for cash prizes.

Participants must be a current employee, or immediate family member of a current employee of the State of Delaware. All entries must be the original work of the applicant and completed within the last three years.

Monday, January 17, 2022

DDOA Announces 2022 Individual Artist Fellowship Awardees

The content of this post was taken from a press release by the Delaware Division of the Arts

Twenty-five Delaware artists are being recognized by the Delaware Division of the Arts for the high quality of their artwork. Work samples from 132 Delaware choreographers; composers; musicians; writers; and folk, media, and visual artists were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals, considering demonstrated creativity and skill in their art form. The 25 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Dover, Georgetown, Hockessin, Lewes, Magnolia, Middletown, Newark, Smyrna, Townsend, and Wilmington.

Awards were given in three categories: $10,000 for the Masters Award; $6,000 for the Established Professional Award; and $3,000 for the Emerging Professional Award. Fellows are required to offer at least one exhibit or performance during the upcoming year, providing an opportunity for the public to experience their work. Additionally, the work of the Fellows will be featured in a group exhibition, Award Winners XXII, at the Biggs Museum of American Art tentatively set for June 3 through July 23, 2022.

“Individual Artist Fellowship grants recognize Delaware artists for their outstanding work and commitment to artistic excellence,” said Jessica Ball, director of Delaware Division of the Arts. “The financial award allows them to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs to advance their careers. The Division of the Arts understands that artists have been hard hit by the economic fallout of the pandemic and was pleased to be able to allocate some additional funds to recognize more artists this year.”

The Masters Fellowship is open to different artistic disciplines each year. In Fiscal Year 2022, Masters Fellowship applications were accepted in Literary Arts and Media Arts from artists who had previously received an Established Professional Fellowship. In addition to exemplifying high artistic quality, Masters Fellowship applicants must demonstrate their involvement and commitment to the arts in Delaware and beyond. Listed below are the Delaware Division of the Arts 2022 Individual Artist Fellows.

Linda Blaskey has been awarded this year’s Masters Fellowship in Literature: Poetry. Blaskey’s work has been chosen for inclusion in Best New Poets, 2014, and in North Carolina’s Poetry on the Bus project for National Poetry Month. She is poetry/interview editor emerita for Broadkill Review, is coordinator for the Dogfish Head Poetry Prize, and current editor for the new online journal, Quartet. She organized a presentation of Icelandic poetry for the Rehoboth Beach Film Festival, and her work was included in Southern Delaware Choral Society’s presentation of Haydn: “Mass in the Time of War.” She sat on the panel, “Collaborative Publishing,” for Western Maryland Indie Lit Festival at Frostburg State University. Blaskey’s work has been published in numerous journals and anthologies, and she is the author of four poetry collections, two of which are collaborations, one forthcoming in 2022. She lives with her husband on a small horse/goat farm in Sussex County, Delaware.

2022 Individual Artist Fellows
Masters Award ($10,000)
  • Linda Blaskey, Lincoln - Literature: Poetry
Established Professional Award ($6,000)
  • JoAnn Balingit, Newark - Literature: Creative Nonfiction
  • Joseph Barbaccia, Georgetown - Visual Arts: Crafts
  • Tim Broscious, Townsend - Music: Contemporary Performance
  • Jamie Brunson, Wilmington - Literature: Playwriting
  • Caleb Curtiss, Newark - Literature: Poetry
  • t. a. hahn, Middletown - Visual Arts: Sculpture
  • Jeff Knoettner, Wilmington - Jazz: Performance
  • Roger Matsumoto, Newark - Visual Arts: Photography
  • Isai Jess Muñoz, Hockessin - Music: Solo Recital
  • Mia Muratori, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Painting
  • Tad Sare, Wilmington - Media Arts: Video/Film
  • Aaron Terry, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Works on Paper
  • William Torrey, Middletown - Literature: Fiction
Emerging Professional Award ($3,000)
  • Stephanie Boateng, Newark - Visual Arts: Painting
  • Christina Durborow, Wilmington - Literature: Creative Nonfiction
  • Kiara Florez, Magnolia - Visual Arts: Painting
  • Gregory Hammond, Wilmington - Literature: Fiction
  • Jim Hawkins, Smyrna - Literature: Playwriting
  • Gail Husch, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Crafts
  • Alice Morris, Lewes  - Literature: Poetry
  • Maia Palmer, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Works on Paper
  • TANKSLEY, Middletown - Music: Contemporary Performance
  • Leanna Thongvong, Dover - Folk Art: Visual Arts
  • Katie West, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Photography
To contact an individual artist, please email or call: Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services, Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov or 302.577.8283. The next deadline for Individual Artist Fellowship applications will be Monday, August 1, 2022.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Candlelight's Classic "South Pacific" Carries Modern Message

By Charles "Ebbie" Alfree, III

Candlelight Theatre continues its 50th season with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical, South Pacific. Although written in the 1940s, some of the show’s themes still resonate with our society’s current social climate.

South Pacific runs through August 25 at Candlelight Theatre.
Photo by 
Tisa Della-Volpe.
Director and Choreographer, Renee Dobson does a superb job bringing this romantic show back to the stage. Two relationships are blossoming on a south pacific island during World War II. Nellie Forbush, a naïve U.S. Navy nurse from Arkansas, is falling for Emile de Becque, a debonair French plantation owner who escaped France many years ago to live on the exotic Bali Ha’I island, while Joseph Cable, a lieutenant sent to the South Pacific to perform a dangerous war mission, is falling for Liat, the daughter of a civilian Tonkinese vendor and friend of the American Seabees, “Bloody Mary." Wanting a better life for her daughter, Bloody Mary is hopeful Cable will marry Liat.

However, life is not just a bowl of jello for the for the four characters. Both, Nellie and Cable are open-minded, but still have to contend with prejudice ideology instilled in them by their families. Nellie is grappling with accepting Emile’s children from his previous marriage to a Polynesian woman, and Cable is torn about loving Liat because of her ethnicity. Both understand their thoughts are based on what they were carefully taught, not the thoughts that either particularly believe are right or true.

The heaviness of the love stories and the war occurring around them are lightened with comical moments mostly provided by Bloody Mary and the American Seabees working on the island, especially during the service men’s stirring numbers, Bloody Mary and There is Nothin’ Like a Dame. Two songs that get the toes a’ tappin!

Ms. Dobson maintains a great pace for the show. Classic musicals tend to be long and can drag if not under the strong supervision of a talented director like Ms. Dobson. The continuous movement of the show is in part due to Scenic Designer, Jeff Reim, who created stunning sets that move seamlessly on and off stage. Timothy Lamont Cannon’s costumes perfectly capture the era of the greatest generation and allow the actors to move and dance freely.

Colleen Clancy as Nellie and Peter Campbell as Emile are superb. They both greatly convey the emotional turmoil their characters are experiencing. And, both are exceptional singers. Mr. Campbell’s baritone voice is transcendent and melts the room, especially during Some Enchanted Evening, while Ms. Clancy, brings smiles on faces during her exuberant number, I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair. 

The leads are supported by many fine performers, including Andy Spinosi as the heroic Cable. He finds the right tone and expression needed to convey the significant lyrics in You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught...truly showcasing his masterful vocal techniques. Angelica Feliciano radiates as Bloody Mary. Her stunning rendition of Bali Ha’i captivates and transports the audience to the enchanted island. She along with the wonderful Jared Calhoun as the loveable but always scheming Seabee, Luther Billis, provide comedic relief for this show about war and suppressed love. I would be remiss not to mention the exuberant Seabees and nurses, who are fabulous during their exciting dance numbers!

Don’t miss this classic that still has lessons for our society to learn about love and acceptance. 

For tickets, visit www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org or call 302.475.2313.