A Skirmish of Wits Prevails in Arden

By Guest Blogger, Bradford Wason. Brad is the Founder and Director of 23rd & 5th Design Group and currently works with DMG Marketing in Greenville. He is also on the faculty of Delaware College of Art & Design, and is an ardent Wilmington Arts & Culture supporter.

The last time I saw Much Ado About Nothing was in sixth grade — put on by Wilmington Montessori and led by the passionate Helen Gadsby, a devout Shakespeare fan. Helen had passed along her love of The Bard to years of Montessori children, and I certainly did not escape this delightful gift. Having not seen the piece since my humble beginnings, I did some light reading to brush up on the lines and plot.  Not that you need to; the Arden Shakespeare Gild did a magnificent job bringing this classic to life on the quaint outdoor Field Theatre on the Arden Green.  If you're not familiar with the plot, it's easy to follow the journey of the two central couples, both inflicted with love — one from cupid's arrow, the other from a trap.

I truly believe Shakespeare is meant to be enjoyed outdoors. It provides an ambience that harkens back to the Globe Theatre in London.  I would suggest — although the wooden benches do have backs — you bring a seat cushion with you (Note: bug spray might also be a wise idea, too). 

The Gild presented a delightful rendition with minimal props, backdrops and overly-complex period dress, allowing the work instead to stand firmly in its wit and clever writing, adorned by the passionate acting of some well-rounded talent.

The opening scene sets the tone of the performance, and the sharp tongue between Benedick (played by Adam Wahlberg) and Beatrice (Kerry Kristine McElrone), two of the shows star-crossed lovers. The chemistry between Wahlberg and McElrone (at right) is evident throughout. They play off each other with ease and exchange barbs with precision providing punch to the mirth and matter contrived by the Bard, all the while conjuring laughs from the audience. This is especially evident in a scene as their characters stalk their conspiring cohorts to carefully listen in, each buying into the myths created for their ears.  Wahlberg delights the crowd as he rolls on the ground (directly into the audience) or dons a straw hat in disguise. Accompanying their strong performances, a doe-eyed Claudio (Colin Antes) brings grace, wit and valor to the young lord of Florence. His lover, Hero (Emma Orr), brings a bubbly, soft and soothing presence to the stage, heightening the innocence of her character to be betrayed by the self-proclaimed villain, Don John (Dan Tucker).

Additional strong performances from Zachary Theis (Borachio), Lucy Smith (Margaret), James Kassees (Leonato), Robert Tietze (Don Pedro), and Dan Tucker seal the cast. Theis and Allan Kleban (Conrad) provide intrigue and tragedy in their scenes.

As Act I draws to a close, Balthasar (Rebecca Fisher) instructs the audience in the interlude. TIP: Bring a few dollars with you for the Gingerbread Bard–shaped cookie and glass of lemonade (each $1.50). All of the pretense and plotting of Act I comes to a head in Act II as the characters mingle and set the stage for acts of love or treachery. 

Will the tragic plot undo the unrequited love between star-crossed Hero and Claudio? Will the Herculean Cupid's Trap plotted by Don Pedro, Leonato, Hero, Claudio, Margaret and Ursula unite Benedick and Beatrice? The answers to these questions await you, along with many laughs and true delight in one of Shakespeare's classic comedies.

Much Ado About Nothing makes for a perfect night under the stars for a family outing or date night. The show is approachable, easily understood and translated beautifully to the outdoor stage by director Mary Catherine Kelley and her dedicated team. Although subtle, the work of Linda Kimmelman (Assistant Director), John King (Music Director/Composer), Valerie Hutchinson and Laure Wallace (Production Managers), Judith Calhoun (Costumes) and Dawn Morningstar (Choreography) do not go unnoticed. The musical accompaniment provided by Emily Loney, Rachel Loney, Melanie Riblett and Sam Arthur round out the performance with soft musical notes between scene changes and slight taunts to mock the actors in their monologues. 

If you're looking for a fun show with an entertaining cast in a unique outdoor setting, don't miss Much Ado About Nothing. The show continues June 13-15, 21 & 22 at 7:30p.m. at the Field Theatre on the Arden Green (Rain location: Gild Hall). Tickets are $10, General Admission, $8 Arden Club Members, $5 children 12 & under. To reserve your ticket call 302.475.3126, email: reservations@ardenshakespearegild.org or visit www.ardenclub.org.

Unveiling Augusta – ART on the River in Milford

Milford is filled with amazing arts and culture opportunities, with more populating this lovely town each year. Here’s one more to enjoy. The Art on the River Tour (ART) Project will unveil six sculptures on Sunday, June 9, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Joan and Sudler Lofland's Vinyard Ship Building Site, 6 Columbia Street in Milford.

The featured sculptures are Phase 1 of the public art project which features 4-foot sculptures of the classic yacht Augusta built by the Vinyard Ship Building Yard in 1927. The sculptures will be displayed permanently along the Mispillion River and throughout downtown Milford over the next 3 years. A total of 18 sculptures (6 per year) is the goal of the project’s organizers.

The artists were commissioned to create based on the theme "River Town. Art Town. Home Town". Five of the six boats were created by Anne Jenkins, David Rule and Cathy Walls, and one was decorated with mosaic tile by Scott & Gail Angelucci — all Milford professional artists — with assistance by Milford High School students Ann McGehrin, Evelyn Orta, Carlo Rodriguez and Kim McKinney.

The unveiling will be followed by a meet-the-artists reception, and the original, fully renovated Augusta will be at the dock for tours. Tickets are $10 adult, $5 children under 13 at a maximum of $25 per family. Tickets are limited and are available at the DMI office, 115B North Walnut Street, Milford. 

For more info, contact Lee Nelson at 302.839.1190, e-mail Director@DowntownMilford.org or visit the Downtown Milford website.

A Visit with Brazilian Composer, Sergio Roberto de Oliveira

Composer Sergio Roberto de Oliveira

On Sunday, May 19, Wilmington ensemble Mélomanie joins Philadelphia jazz duo Minas in a collaborative concert exploring the diverse landscape of Brazilian music, from classical to pop to jazz, with compositions by Orlando Haddad of Minas and Brazilian composer Sergio Roberto de Oliveira, who has traveled from Rio to be here for the performance. Delaware Arts Info visited with Sergio this week to talk about the performance and his works.

You wrote the piece, Incelença de Domingos, in homage to beloved Brazilian popular musician, Dominguinhos. Why did you choose to honor him in this music?
Dominguinhos is revered as one of the great musicians of Brazil.  He hails from the interior of northeast Brazil; he became a very sophisticated musician, yet makes very traditionally simple yet broadly appealing songs. Sadly, he has been in gravely ill for some time.  I think it's important to honor him and his accomplishments; I have such great admiration and respect for him, although I have never met him in person.

My piece is reminiscent of music that is traditionally sung at a viewing or a funeral, asking God to send angels to guide the soul to its proper place, wherever that may be. I intended the piece as a request for God to release Dominguinhos from his pain and guide him on his journey, to be either with the angels or among us again.

Did your writing process for this piece differ because it brings together two very different ensembles? How did you approach writing with that in mind?
Yes, this was a very different process, although I've written arrangements many times for popular music. The writing process for a popular piece is very different from a classical piece.

For this work, I was thinking about how all the musicians could feel comfortable with the material. Artists of different genres often process things in different ways. For example, classically trained musicians can understand the music straight from the text; popular musicians need to feel the music they are playing.

This piece, it's really simply "a song" but with classically written elements. And, each ensemble brought something that the other perhaps could not.

What do you think of the collaboration between Melomanie and Minas? How does each ensemble complement the other?
Some parts of the piece were very natural for Minas, while others were very natural for Mélomanie. It's an ideal blend of Brazilian language and classic contemporary language. Each ensemble brings a musical sensibility to the performance that the other doesn't.

I believe that a good artistic collaboration comes when you have to change the way you view art.

In this concert, Mélomanie will also perform another of your compositions, Angico, which is a very personal piece for you. Tell us about that piece. This is very emotional piece for me. Angico itself is a tree on the property of my family's summer home. This place—a lifelong dream of my mother's—is my personal paradise: where I go to relax, recharge, to create and just enjoy my family. This piece is the story of the tree and house, in four movements; the Angico has a spiritual presence throughout the piece.

The First movement is about the tree itself—the first thing to appear in creation. It's about perfection in nature. The Second movement is about the construction of the house and arrival of the family (more broadly the arrival of man). It is very happy and bright. The Third movement depicts the fight against the removal of the tree in the way of modern needs. We felt there were good spirits around our home that would protect the tree and all of us. The music embodies the spirits that protected the tree. The final movement is a musical party—celebrating the tree, our family and the entire journey.

Another piece on the program is actually a Dominguinhos song, correct?
Yes. This last piece is my arrangement of a song by Dominguinhos called I Just Want a Sweetheart. This is his most well-known piece.  It was written about a person saying how longs for a sweetheart; a feeling that everyone can understand and share.

You'll also be in the studio with Mélomanie to record Angico for their next CD. How do you view the recording process as the composer? Recording is about making your work eternal; it's about having these musicians be my voice and perpetuate my feelings and ideas through the music.

You've written for Mélomanie several times over the years. What draws you to the ensemble?
It's great to write for this caliber of musicians. This idea of 'provocative pairings' I think is brilliant. It's good to think about Bach or Telemann as colleagues, and not just shadows of the past. Bach is the guy, you know, but I like [contemporary composer] Mark Hagerty as well.  Mark and I have worked together on two CDs now.  Mark thinks about music in a way no one else does. And he does so very kindly; he doesn't impose his music on listeners, but rather seduces listeners with the music. I feel we're so similar yet our music is so different.

What's next on your calendar?
In September, I'll launch a CD of my music performed by the Brazilian ensemble GNU. In the same month, I'll attend an Italian festival of jazz and Brazilian music; one concert will specifically feature my music. In November, I'll celebrate the launch of my new festival, Composers of Today, which will feature composers from Rio and all over the world. Mark Hagerty will be one of the guest composers, and this will be the opportunity to unveil our new CD.