Visual Interpretations of Oscar Wilde's Salome at Delaware Art Museum

Salomé, 2011, Barry Moser

Oscar Wilde had quite a reputation as a provocateur in late 19th Century Victorian England -- and it's that reputation, as well as his wit and his sexuality, that people commonly remember today, even moreso than his work.

In the early 1890s, shortly after the publication of his famous (and only) novel "The Picture of Dorian Grey," Wilde became a success as a playwright. The one-act play  "Salomé" was written in French after a conversation about the Biblical story of John the Baptist inspired him. Wilde, of course, was Irish, and he usually wrote in English. He chose the language because of his love of France -- the country he would retire to after he served jail time for “gross indecency with other men” just a few years later.

“Salomé” is short and brutal, centering around a beautiful young woman living with the stigma of her mother's accused incestuous marriage to get stepfather, Herod II. When John (referred to as C) insults her mother and spurns her, she exacts her revenge: When Herod offers her anything she wants if she dances for him, she chooses Jokanaan’s head on a platter. Literally.

Salomé Kisses the Head of Iokanaan, 2011, Barry Moser

The Dancer's Reward, 1906, Aubrey Vincent Beardsley 

Salome was first published in English in 1894, translated by by Wilde's lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, and with illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley. The translation was more flowery than Wilde's style, the illustrations, compared to “the scribbles a precocious schoolboy” by Wilde himself, are sometimes over the top. In 2011, Salome was re-translated by Joseph Donohue, in a style that most agree more closely fits with the way Wilde originally wrote it in French. The illustrations for this version are by Barry Moser; the etchings, in contrast with Beardsley’s style, have an almost photo-realistic look.

The cistern, 2011, Barry Moser

The exhibit starts with Moser's work. This seemed backward to me at first, but as I went through the room, it made sense. Moser's illustrations, placed in chronological order tell the story in images. By the time you get to the last one, you have his idea of what Salomé was really about (the captions on the wall help if you’re not familiar with Wilde’s version of the story). Moser sets a dark mood, featuring a diverse cast of Romans, Nubians, Jews, and Nazarenes. The etchings convey the feel of a stage play, or at least the feeling that real people are being portrayed.

"Let me kiss your mouth," 2011, Barry Moser

“Let me kiss your mouth” shows Jokanaan, the object of Salomé’s desire, despite his almost emaciated appearance, refusing her advances. Wilde plays with sexual objectification — Salomé is seen on both sides of it, and she commands the power position at all times, at least in her own mind. After Moser’s interpretation comes Beardsley’s. The two collections couldn’t be less alike, but, while Moser’s etchings are stunning, Beardsley’s are not inferior — just wildly different.

The Stomach Dance, 1906, Aubrey Vincent Beardsley 

Beardsley’s illustrations have a look that more closely resembles political cartoons, and he was pretty clearly making some statements of his own that weren’t actually in Wilde’s work -- for example, there is homoerotic imagery where there was none on “Salomé,” and Wilde is caricatured more than once (and not in a flattering way). In a couple of instances, Beardsley’s original submissions were rejected for being too bizarre, sexual, or off the map; the Rejected and Accepted versions are displayed together.

The Peacock Skirt, 1906, Aubrey Vincent Beardsley 

Despite Wilde’s criticism’s of Beardsley’s work, the lithographs are quite beautiful and captivating. “The Peacock Skirt” look as if it could be a high fashion illustration, but it does highlight the almost detached interpretation, as it doesn’t directly refer to anything in the play. As an exhibit as a whole, “Salomé” bridges over a century, showcasing a great difference in aesthetic. Some might argue that the Donohue/Moser update righted the wrongs of the 1894 Douglas/Beardsley collaboration -- and there’s little doubt that the update more accurately captures Wilde’s words as they were intended. But to be able to look back on the 1894 artwork in conjunction with Moser’s enhances the timeliness of Beardsley’s work. It was both a reflection of and a rebellion against its time, which is something that can’t be truly captured in the 21st Century.

See www.delart.org. 

Fringe Wilmington Prepares for Its First Film Festival!

This post comes courtesy of a CityFest press release.

The City of Wilmington and Cityfest, Inc., the City’s nonprofit cultural programming organization, are excited to announce the FilmFringe Wilmington Festival that will take place from Tuesday, February 17 to Sunday, February 22, 2015 at Theatre N at Nemours, 1007 North Orange Street, in downtown Wilmington.

The 2015 Film Fringe Wilmington Festival will include the popular annual Extreme Filmmaking competition and screenings of independent films by local, regional, and national filmmakers.  Fringe Wilmington is Delaware’s only multi-day celebration of unconventional art.  In previous years, Fringe has been a single festival in the fall, which included live performances, film and visual offerings.  This year, the Fringe Committee has separated each of the disciplines into their own five day festival, starting with performing arts last November in Live Fringe, followed by Film Fringe in February 2015, and Visual Fringe in May 2015.

Film Fringe kicks off with a free Preview Party, where trailers will be featured for each film of the festival.  The Preview Party will also include a screening of the Extreme 5-minute Filmmaking entries, including an awards ceremony to announce cash prize winners of the contest, as well as Fringe-inspired cocktails by The Painted Stave Distillery of Smyrna, Delaware.

In Film Fringe Wilmington’s inaugural year the committee was excited to receive more quality entries than could be screened in the initial four days of programming allotted.  As a result, the Preview Party has been scheduled for Tuesday, February 17 to allow for a full five days of films. In the day’s following the Preview Party, film novices and enthusiasts may sample a wide variety of film genres, ranging from dramas to documentaries, comedies to action.  A few highlights include an entire evening dedicated to music documentaries on Friday, February 20 and ‘An Afternoon With John Evans’, the world-renowned filmmaker on Sunday February 22. 

Tickets are available on the Fringe Wilmington website at www.fringede.org and will be available at the Preview Party, as well as at the Theatre N box office immediately prior to each showing.  Individual ticket prices are $5.  Audience members can also purchase a 5-film pass for $15 or a 10-film pass for $25.  Fringe Wilmington continues its model of providing 100% of ticket sales to participating filmmakers.

To learn more about Film Fringe Wilmington Festival and see the 2015 Film Fringe Wilmington selections, visit www.fringede.org or call Jeni Barton at 302.576.2135.

WDL's "Leaves" Delivers Powerful, Poignant Message About Illness

By Guest Blogger, Alex del Tufo
Alex is a high school student attending Wilmington Friends School with an interest in journalism as a major. She is an editor for her school newspaper, has served as an intern at Out and About magazine and has written for WXPN’s website. Alex hopes to expand her love of music and writing through helping with our blog.

Wilmington Drama League (WDL) staged another outstanding performance this past weekend. Lucy Caldwell’s Leaves was a brilliant, heartbreaking portrayal of the effects of depression on a young woman and her family.

The play surrounded a seemingly average Irish family and their everyday struggles. It is revealed that the cause of many of their problems is the oldest daughter’s recent suicide attempt. I thought the storyline was extremely unique because of the focus on the effects of mental illness — not only on those who are personally affected by it, but also the impact on those who have known and loved them their entire lives. The damaged relationships and interpersonal disconnects are a side of depression not often discussed or presented. WDL did an excellent job of leaving off the “sugar-coat” to show the audience the truth about the widespread effects of having, or living with a person who has, a mental illness. The downplay of diseases such as depression is an enormous problem that I believe this performance is trying to help eradicate.

I don’t think WDL could have found a better cast to portray the intense roles required for the show. The cast ranged in age from 7th Grader to adult, and each of them equally talented. What made their performances even more impressive was the added Irish accents. Caldwell, the writer of Leaves and an Ireland native, would have been impressed by the authenticity in their portrayal of a typical Irish family.

In addition to the excellent cast, this play was significant for WDL because of the two young directors leading the show. Mollie Montgomery and Cassey Moore — both high school students — co-directed this show without the help of adults. I think this made the actors’ performances even more impressive. Their direction and interpretation was both inspired and unique. I don’t think that many adults have the skills that these two young students have.

An aspect of Leaves that made it particularly outstanding was the display of artwork by Emily Spiegel and Michael Curcio. Emily and Michael were two young local artists recently lost to suicide. Their works were displayed in the front lobby and added a more personal depth to the show that the whole audience could feel. There was also the option to buy tea for $1 to support ContactLifeline, a Delaware-based 24/7 suicide hotline. In addition, $1 from each show ticket was donated to the ContactLifeline. I thought that this was an excellent benefit to a beautiful performance.

I thought this production was excruciating in the most unbelievable way. This show was not for those looking for a relaxing night out. From start to finish, the show was intense and evocative, with glimmers of humor here and there. The ending came off as an "it's all better now" conclusion, but left me wondering what was implied for the character's futures. I think that Wilmington Drama League did an extraordinary job of executing this provocative production.

See www.wilmingtondramaleague.org. 

Nora, the Early Feminist, Shines at DTC

By Guest Blogger, Christine Facciolo
Christine holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music and continues to apply her voice to all genres of music. An arts lover since childhood, she currently works as a freelance writer.

A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen’s play about a child bride coming to sudden maturity and walking out on her family, caused quite a stir when it opened in 1879.

A century later, Ingmar Bergman — feeling Ibsen didn’t go far enough — reworked the long-winded script into a taut drama with only five major characters and re-titled it simply Nora.

The Delaware Theatre Company’s production of Bergman’s searing reduction grabs viewers from the outset and never lets go.

The play tells the story of the (seemingly) happy marriage of Thorvald and Nora Helmer. Through exposition we learn the backstory: Thorvald was ill and needed a year in Italy to recover. Nora, ever the good wife, took it upon herself to borrow money from the unscrupulous Krogstad whom Thorvald decides to sack when he gets promoted to bank manager. Krogstad decides to blackmail Nora to keep his position because not only is it amoral for a woman to borrow money (plus her husband abhors debt — an odd position for a banker) but he figures out she forged her father’s signature on the note (dated several days after his death).

When the truth comes out, Thorvald flies into a rage and disowns Nora, bemoaning his fate that now he has to acquiesce to Krogstad’s wishes because of her mistake. But Nora’s friend (Mrs. Linde) talks to Krogstad, who turns out to be her long lost love, and he agrees to tear up the promissory note. Thorvald is relieved and contented to go back to the way things were. But Nora has had an epiphany: She realizes she has been little more than a doll to her husband — a pretty doll that performs tricks — and that they are not partners, because a true husband would have taken the blame and defended his wife’s honor. She decides she has to stop being a doll and learn who she really is and what life has to offer. The play ends with a stunning climax which, for its time, was controversial to say the least.

Bergman’s script focuses on Nora, driving home the divisive (for its time) theme — women’s rights — even though Ibsen claimed he did not seek to promote the women’s rights movement. The play is concise and succinct and the action never abates. Thus the audience feels engrossed in the main story without getting distracted by a welter of subplots.

All five actors worked well as an ensemble. The standout was Kim Carson whose journey from naïf to mature explorer was clear, nuanced and genuine. David Arrow plays a domineering Thorvald who can at the same time be playful and sexy with his wife as he fulfills his role. His anger — laced at times with bewildered incomprehension — is scary but his loss at the end of the play is palpable. Kevin Bergen supplies a death-darkened and doting Dr. Rank; Susan Riley Stevens a world-weary almost embittered Mrs. Linde. Chris Thorn offered an effective Krogstad, ineffably moving at his pivotal points.

Alexis Distler’s set and Esther Arroyo’s costumes were aptly period. Christopher J Bailey’s judicious lighting design supported intensity levels agreeably.

Director Michael Mastro kept the show moving at a brisk pace with a consistent driving energy.

See www.delawaretheatre.org. 

City Theater Company's "Barely Legal" is All About Improv

This review is reposted courtesy of The News Journal. Original article by Holly Quinn published 2/2/14. 

Photo by Joe del Tufo

City Theater Company is celebrating its 21st birthday, and you can join the party at the Black Box at OperaDelaware (still set up Irish Pub style from CTC's recent production of 'James Joyce's The Dead'). 'Barely Legal' is an evening of improv, featuring CTC's own Fearless Improv troupe and a rotation of Philadelphia improv acts, for an unpredictable night of entertainment. READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW >>>

Mélomanie at the DCCA with La Bernardinia Baroque Ensemble

Night Watch by Dan Jackson

A grey Sunday in February brought an overflow crowd to the DuPont 1 Gallery of the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts. The big crowd was made to order to create the most wonderful acoustic effect in the small room with the cold hard stone floor, so that Mattheson’s Sonata in G Minor for two harpsichords played by Marcia Kravis and Tracy Richardson sounded clear, crisp, rounded and exciting. Swirls of sounds flew as they traded fast scales and flying double thirds.

After the harpsichord duo, guest artists La Bernadinia Baroque (Donna Fournier, Rainer Beckmann and Marcia Kravis) performed the Ciacona allegro, also a Baroque piece by Benedetto Marcello –Following this, the entire Mélomanie ensemble playing Menuet-Fantaisie – a modern musical interpretation of Baroque music with a recurring motif passed from instrument to instrument, which they had commissioned Anthony Mosakowski to write in 2012. The composer, who introduced the piece, seemed as pleased as the rest of the audience.

The delightful and melodic Allemande and Sarabande, from a different harpsichord duo suite by Mattheson, brought us back to Baroque comfort and lute stops until we were blasted into the 21st century by Tracy Richardson and Rainer Beckman in their interpretation of Liduino Pitombeira’s Sonata for recorder and harpsichord no. 2, Opus 156. Mr. Beckman, who knows Brazil and the composer, introduced the piece and showed that he can make the alto recorder leap forward a few centuries to create a sound reminiscent to honor Stravinsky, Boulez and Bartok.

And, following that tradition of lulling us with Baroque delights and then rocking us out of chairs with modern sounds on Baroque instruments, the two groups played a delightful rendition of a Vivaldi's Concerto in G Minor, RV 107 in which the alto flute (Kim Reighley), soprano and alto recorders (Rainer Beckman) and Baroque violin (Christof Richter) performed as soli and Doug McNames (cello), Donna Fournier (viola da gamba) and Tracy Richardson and Marcia Kravis on harpsichords performed the orchestral continuo.

After the raucous applause for the great sound of the Vivaldi, the larger ensemble played an encore of a Chaconne by Jean Baptiste Lully. The experience was heightened by the surrealistic art of Dan Jackson on display in the gallery – the faces in his works so photographically alive and vivid that they seemed to have been listening as well.

See melomanie.org.

The Warmth of Winter Winds

The Music School of Delaware took a defiant leap and presented a delightful menu of winds – which, in spite of the chilly title and weather, attracted quite an audience. The programming was surprising, refreshing and delightful and unexpected like an amaryllis opening in the middle of winter.

The first piece was Wind quintet No. 3 in F major by Giuseppe Maria Cambrini.  Although Cambrini did not make it to the standard repertoire as did his contemporary and teasing competitor, Wolfgang Mozart, his style is evocative of that era in its light classical lilt.  The interweaving themes and Mozartian style were a great vehicle for combining the dark sounds of horn (Anna Skrupky) and bassoon (Chuck Holdeman) and the filigree of clarinet (Jared Eastridge), oboe, (Susan Ritter) and flute (Melinda Bowman).

The Three Irish Songs by john Corigliano with Jessica Graae, soprano, and Lynn Cooksey, flute presented and intriguing combination with some harmonies that were rather surprising, but this could be due to the small auditorium and the big sound of diminutive Ms. Graae’s surprisingly strong voice.

And when was the last time you heard kettledrums in a chamber ensemble?  The Nightwatch: a dialog for horn, flute and kettledurms by Ellis B. Kohs was an amazingly delicate morsel.  The flute starts with a birdsong, the horn follows with a frog call and the kettledrum provides a beat and drone and then the flute and horn move into a duet and the kettledrum joins for a trio.

The Sonata for flute, oboe and piano by Madeleine Dring,  a British composer (1923-1977) --who,  by the way,  sounds surprisingly like Francis Poulenc-- is a fun romp.  Ms. Ritter and Ms. Bowman played the wild cadenza beautifully. 

Ms. Cheng, piano, was the backbone of the second half with her collaboration.  The Dance from “Ballade, pastorale, and dance” by Eric Ewazen for flute, horn and piano and the Tarantella for flute, clarinet and piano, Opus 6 by Camille Saint-Saens profited from her expertise.

The Concertino pour flute, opus 107  by Cécile Chaminade showcased a very talented student of Mindy Bowman,  Genevieve Hahn whose technique and poise were outstanding. 

The concert was topped off by the Sonata for horn, trumpet and trombone by Francis Poulenc which was played in a no-holes-barred romp by Anna Skrupky, horn, Katelynn Griess, trombone and Malcolm McDuffee, trumpet. 

Even on that grey winter evening, the winds warmed up the smiles in the audience.  Music School Dean Cheri Astolfi created a fantastic event to show off her wind staff.

Smokey Joe’s Café Ignites the Wilmington Drama League Stage!

By Charles "Ebbie" Alfree, III

Smokey Joe’s Café -- with songs by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller -- is a toe-tapping, hand-clapping stroll through a bygone era. The show doesn’t have a plot like most jukebox musicals of late; instead, Smokey Joe’s Café is a musical revue including 39 of Lieber and Stoller’s classic rock & roll and rhythm & blues songs, spanning the 1950s and 60s.

Director and choreographer Dominic Santos stages a seamless production that easily flows from one song to the next. Instead of depending on many set pieces, Santos uses projections by AV Designer Tony DelNegro to create atmosphere. He also houses the show’s outstanding band on the stage (led by Musical Director Anthony Vitalo), which enhances the exuberant performances.

The nine-member cast (Tonya "TS" Baynes, Tommy Fisher-Klein, Lauren Hope Gates, Corey Kelly, Chelsea Miller, Lyndie Moe, Mr. Santos, Dan Urdaneta and Jacob Bauer Zebley) gives electrifying performances. From the smooth four-part harmony of Fisher-Klein, Kelly, Santos and Urdaneta singing "Keep on Rollin’" and "On Broadway" to the take-charge attitude of Baynes, Gates, Miller, and Moe singing "I’m a Woman" to the rollicking good time of Bauer Zebley performing "Jailhouse Rock" (I LOVED his Elvis moves), there are no dull moments in the two-hour show.

Of course, there are few ballads sprinkled throughout the revue, such as "Spanish Harlem" and "I (Who have Nothing)," respectively performed Urdaneta and Fisher-Klein. While Urdaneta performs a gorgeous rendition of "Spanish Harlem," Moe dances the part of the girl who is on his mind. Fisher-Klein bares his soul and finds the anguish and sadness of the haunting "I (Who have Nothing)."

I can’t finish my review discussing ballads, so I have to mention the scantily clad Baynes' captivating performance of "Don Juan." The lady knows how to turn up the heat! She amazingly sings the seductive tune and works a boa like a true temptress!

Smokey Joe’s Café is great nostalgic fun. The show runs through February 1 at the Wilmington Drama League. Visit the website or call 302.764.1172 for additional information and tickets.

See Wilmingtondramaleague.org.  

Hot Breakfast Serves Up Two Exciting New Partnership Dishes

Some content courtesy of Hot Breakfast eNews...

Delaware's favorite "dork-rock power duo" HOT BREAKFAST! (insert obligatory fist pump here) has some exciting news to share. Sure they release hilarious video, play to packed-house crowds and win beloved Homey Awards, but now they're adding to their musical menu. What better completes the most important band in your day than MILK(MEN) and FORKS(with DORKS). Read on...

BREAKFAST with MILK(MEN)Hot Breakfast is recording with the legendary DEAD MILKMEN this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, January 17 & 18. How did two Delaware dorks get asked to record with one of their favorite bands of all time? Apparently, it's a long story.  Nonetheless, Jill is contributing her vocals (and vocal arrangement skills) and Matt his acoustic guitar-playin' to a new Milkmen track, as part of the Weathervane Music Organization's Shaking Through series, an ongoing documentary about the guerrilla recording and producing process. 

The Dead Milkmen

And, the recording sessions are being filmed --- you can watch live from the comfort of your couch! You can even write comments and ask questions during the session. And when the song is completed, you'll be able to download the completed song, but you'll also be able to download all of the separate tracks in the song and make your own remix. It's a music-dork's dream! Click here on Saturday, January 17, and click here on Sunday, January 18. Both sessions run from 11am - 8pm EST. You can also join the Facebook Event page to stay up-to-date. Or read more about it on the HOT BREAKFAST blog.

BREAKFAST with FORKS(and DORKS)It was likely inevitable that the Breakfast Duo appear on a podcast named "Dorks and Forks." They'll hang and chat with hosts Brian Wild and Dan Sanchez and guest Corey Osby over beer, wine and breakfasty nosh by Chef Tim of Harry's Savoy Grill. Oh, they'll also perform a song live. The podcast will air Monday/Tuesday of next week, January 19-20. Check out the Dorks and Forks Facebook and Twitter pages to get the final word. 

Now I'm hungry...for an omelet and some good music. 

Seven Student Playwrights Selected: DTC's 2014-2015 Delaware Young Playwrights Festival

Post content courtesy of Delaware Theatre Company

Delaware Theatre Company is pleased to announce the six finalist plays in the 2014-2015 Delaware Young Playwrights Festival (DYPF):

• Cutting Strings by Sam Stewart, William Penn High School 
• Darkness: a Happy Sappy Extravaganza! by Dylan Lang, Cab Calloway School of the Arts 
• Ed and Coop by Hannah Biener and Charles Teague, Charter School of Wilmington 
• Letting Go by Mitali Patel, St. Elizabeth High School 
• Transcendence by Anastasia Hutnick, Padua Academy 
• The Wheel of Fortune by Anna Smith, Padua Academy 

The finalists will participate in a series of playwriting workshops with professional theatre artists from Delaware Theatre Company to further refine their writing and ready their works for a public showcase performance on February 24, 2015 at 7:30pm on the DTC stage.

This year's DYPF began with a kickoff workshop for Delaware high school teachers and students in September. From there, 41 plays written by 49 students representing eight different Delaware high schools were submitted for the first round. Each playwright received personal feedback about his or her play from a teaching artist of the Delaware Theatre Company staff. Student playwrights had the opportunity to revise their plays. Participating schools were then invited to resubmit their top five plays for the second round, also known as the "competition round." From these entries, the six finalist plays were selected for additional development under the guidance of Delaware Theatre Company's team of theatre artists and educators.

Now in its fourth year of the relaunch of this acclaimed program, DYPF invites high school students to write a play based on a theme inspired by one of Delaware Theatre Company's productions. This year's theme was inspired by a quotation from NORA, written by Ingmar Bergman, produced and presented by DTC in February 2015. The quotation used was, "If I ever hope to learn anything about myself and the things around me, I've got to stand completely on my own." Through the use of a standards-based writing rubric, students created and shaped their original plays with regard to characters, conflict, dialogue, theme, and other dramatic criteria.

Dewey Shares an Open Casting Call for Dogs!

Dewey the Art Dog happily shares this info with all the talented and arts-loving pooches out there!

The Delaware Children’s Theatre (DCT) is seeking to cast the role of “Toto”, Dorothy’s beloved dog, in its upcoming sequel to The Wizard of Oz.  This potential canine star should be Toto-like, calm and well behaved. If your pet is chosen, he or she will be featured in DCT's original musical,  Welcome Back to Oz: Dorothy Meets The Patchwork Girl,  written and directed by Donna Marie Swajeski.

DCT is actively looking for a special dog, small to medium sized, who captures the spirit of Toto.  Our new Toto's lucky owner must be available to escort this 'star' to a few rehearsals in February and be present  at all performances Saturday and Sunday afternoons in March.  “Calling all Yorkies, terriers,  Malteses, and adorable mutts. I've worked in dog rescue and know there are many fantastic dogs out there who may just steal this show. Good behavior skills a must but no acting experience required. Pay, non-negotiable, is in dog treats," states Donna Marie Swajeski.

Interested dog owners can submit photos of their dog to the Delaware Children’s Theatre via email at info@dechildrenstheatre.org or on Facebook. Please submit a line or two about "Why your dog would be the perfect Toto."  Dog and owner will practice with the cast and perform in nine shows from March 7-29.  The deadline for submission is January 23, 2015 at noon.  Calls backs will be held in late January.  “Toto” is the last role to be cast.    

Welcome Back to Oz is part of a series of original musicals produced, written and directed by Donna Swajeski, an Emmy winning writer and the Artistic Director at DCT.   “For decades, The Wizard of Oz has been a children's book that families have embraced. It's an inspiring story with wonderful life lessons and in this sequel, we get a chance to see what's happened to the Lion, Tin man and Scarecrow now that they have their gifts from the Wizard. In its day, The Wizard of Oz was so popular that Baum was asked time and time again to write new stories featuring Dorothy and Toto – that's what we are bringing to our audience.” states Donna Marie Swajeski.  All the characters return in this sequel. Dorothy, Toto, Tin man, Lion, Scarecrow along with new heroines in Ojo, a loveable Munchkin and Scraps, her rag doll come to life. Dorothy leads her friends on an exciting quest to help Glinda stop the last remaining Wicked Witch from practicing Forbidden Magic.

See www.delawarechildrenstheatre.org. 

More Delaware's Best ArtStuff of 2014!

By Guest Blogger, Alex del Tufo

Alex is a high school student attending Wilmington Friends School with an interest in journalism as a major. She is an editor for her school newspaper, has served as an intern at Out and About magazine and has written for WXPN’s website. Alex hopes to expand her love of music and writing through helping with our blog.  

Narrowing down my "Best Delaware Arts Experiences of 2014" is an excruciating feat. There are numerous concerts, shows, and performances that can be distinguished as some of the best the Delaware Arts Scene has to offer.

A concert that stands out in my mind was Run River North, who performed an incredible set at the Baby Grand in the Grand Opera House in July. The group is categorized as a Korean-American indie folk-rock band, but that doesn’t even begin to describe them. Among the six members, they can probably play any instrument imaginable, including violins, guitars, drums and of course, vocals. The sextet is impossible to squeeze into any one musical genre. I think their performance was breathtaking and has me hoping Delaware will see much more of them in the future.

My second 2014 Delaware Arts moment is not strictly 2014, but the annual Spring Standards Boxing Day Event at Arden Gild Hall. For seven years, the day after Christmas has been dedicated to witnessing the religiously enthusiastic and talented trio, The Spring Standards, light up Arden. Just steps away from my house, the Gild Hall is home to not only our annual favorite but also welcomes several foreign acts. We Were Promised Jetpacks, a Scottish indie rock band, graced the stage in March. I first heard their music in the indie film, The Kings of Summer, and couldn’t stop listening. I hope that the Gild Hall can welcome them to be a part of their list of regular performers alongside The Spring Standards.

A Delaware music moment that cannot be overlooked is the 3^rd annual Firefly Music Festival in Dover. This summer event started as a relatively small outdoor concert but quickly erupted into a musical extravaganza hosting around 100 bands and welcoming tens of thousands of festival fanatics. Firefly 2014 brought in performers from Foo Fighters to our local group, New Sweden. My favorite show had to be the energetic indie pop duo, twenty one pilots. Four days of non-stop music and good company was a weekend never to forget, and never to miss again!

A change in pace from the many excellent bands that hit Delaware in 2014, is the outstanding performance of James Joyce's The Dead by City Theater Company. They served up nine performances of at The Black Box at OperaDelaware Studios, where they turned the space into a working Irish "pub." The show was an excellent combination of intriguing dialogue and beautiful musical pieces. The plot simply followed a group of family and friends in their house in Ireland, and the family conflicts that can arise in the comfort of one’s home. The intimate performance space of the show sparked a connection between the actors and the audience that is hard to beat.

2014 brought too many more outstanding concerts and shows to list — and I have faith that 2015 will do much the same for Delaware!

Holly's Top 10 Picks of 2014

It was another great year for the arts in Northern Delaware -- Here are my 10 Best picks for 2014, in categories I made up, and in no particular order:

Best Small Production: Bootless Stageworks’ Venus in Fur. Starring Sean Gallagher and Kelly Warne, this might have been the most underrated production of the year. Opening night had way too many empty seats, but the two actors put on a show worthy of a packed house. Now that Bootless has a permanent home in St. Stephen’s Church on Broom Street, hopefully theater fans will be able to find them.

Best Musical: It’s going to be The Candlelight Theater, it’s just a matter of which show. If you love musicals, you should really have a season pass, because that’s almost all they do, and they do it well. It was between Fiddler and Always… Patsy Cline, but the edge goes to Always... Patsy Cline because it marked the return of Erica Scanlon Harr to the Candlelight stage.

Best Youth-Oriented: This one’s a dark horse (for me at least, since I’d never seen one of their productions before): Reedy Point Players’ The Outsiders. There probably isn’t a production that works so well in a library gymnasium in Delaware City. And that’s not a backhanded compliment, it was actually the perfect setting. The strong cast was well-led by Middletown High’s Brandon Dawson.

Best Classic: Wilmington Drama League’s To Kill a Mockingbird did justice to the classic Depression-era story of injustice, featuring a standout performance by Tomorrow Jenkins, Assistant Principal at Kennett High, making her stage debut as Calpurnia.

Best Production Featuring Actors who are Famous Outside of Delaware: It’s hard to pass over Love Letters with Michael Learned and Daniel Davis (aka the iconic Butler from “The Nanny”), but the big surprise in star-powered theater in Delaware in ‘14 was DTC’s Rest, in Pieces, featuring Donna Pescow of Saturday Night Fever fame and Lenny Wolpe, the Wizard in Broadway’s Wicked.

Best Production I Wouldn’t Normally Cover: Made an exception to the “no high school productions” rule to check out Wilmington Christian’s Sunshine on Leith, the first ever production of the Proclaimers’ musical outside of the UK or Ireland. I’m glad I did. While the kids on stage were great, the general theater etiquette at high school productions will not have me changing my policy any time soon, though.

Best Dance Production: First State Ballet’s Irene was written and choreographed by Delawareans Shaun Dougherty and Alex Buckner. It’s a ballet set in the vampire underworld. No way this wasn’t going to make the list.

Best Holiday Show: While I credit Candlelight's A Christmas Carol with getting me into the holiday spirit in November, my top pick for best holiday show is City Theater’s James Joyce’s The Dead, just a great story and a great show, a grown-up holiday production where The Black Box was converted into an Irish pub for the audience.

Best Non-Theater Event: Underground Comic Con, Jabaar Brown and Eric Cooper’s scaled-down version of the comic book convention (which have evolved into ridiculously expensive spectacles that seem more about meeting celebrities than anything else) is fun, diverse, family-friendly, and free, making it accessible to everyone. I hope this event keeps on coming back.

Local CD I Can’t Stop Playing: I don’t listen to a ton of Classical, but Melomanie’s Excursions is so addictive that for a while I’d come back for it if I left the house without it (hey, driving music is important). I’m very partial to the back half, a multi-part piece called “The Nobility of Women” by Philadelphia composer Kile Smith. Really great CD. (I don’t get a lot of local CDs/digital albums to be honest -- if you think your CD is Best of ‘14 (or ‘15), send it to me for possible review via harlequinn823@gmail.com).