Monday, September 30, 2013

Take a Trip to Avenue Q — "Q" Stands for Quirky & Quite Funny


We were drawn to the Wilmington Drama League by the intrigue of what a pal described as “…an adult version of Sesame Street.” How could we pass that up?

Avenue Q: The Musical — book by Jeff Whitty and music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx — opened off-Broadway in March 2003 and subsequently won Tony® Awards for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.  In short, it’s the story of a dysfunctional mix of people and puppets who whine, curse, say racist things, drink, surf the ‘Net for porn, and have puppet sex.  But it’s also a tale of friendship, community, relationships and the love that holds it all together.  Welcome to Avenue Q, a place where humans and puppets live in hilarious harmony and Gary Coleman — yes, Gary Coleman — is the building Super.

As the show begins, we meet Princeton (played splendidly by Jason Tokarski, who gives the puppet a boyish, naïve charm), a recent college grad who moves to the big city. Since he’s an English major without a job, he can’t afford to live anywhere but the apartments on Avenue Q.  Here, meets his new “family” — an entertaining array of human and puppet neighbors including Brian (Shawn Kline) and Christmas Eve, his Asian-American therapist fiancée (Suzanne J. Stein); roommates Rod and Nicky (Ernie-and-Bert types played by Jim Burns and Anthony Vitalo, respectively); Trekkie Monster (Nick D’Argenio) and his friend-maybe-more Kate Monster (no relation to Trekkie; not all monsters are related…what are you, racist?). Their lives' complexities ensue, as they all try to find their ‘purposes’ in life.

Kate Monster (Regina Dzielak) is a gentle, compassionate creature that longs for career success, to fulfill her dreams and to find love. Dzielak plays her with humor and vulnerability, her voice sweet and lovely as she sings about Princeton’s “Mix Tape” and the place between friendship and love in “There’s a Fine, Fine Line.”

There were highlights aplenty for me, including Burns’ role as Rod, the impossibly-uptight-possibly-gay-Republican roomie to Vitalo’s Nicky. Burns’ performance — especially in “If You Were Gay” and “My Girlfriend, Who Lives in Canada” — was ROFL funny.  Also delivering side-splitting laughs is Nick D’Argenio as Trekkie Monster, with inappropriate interjections and his performance in “The Internet is for Porn.”  He’s every guy’s guy in a Cookie Monster form.  And, stealing more than one scene are Katie Brady and Chrissy Stief as the Bad Idea Bears — they’re cute, they're cuddly, they’re pure evil and they’re funny as hell.

Tommy Fisher-Klein has a solid comedic performance as “Gary Coleman,” sliding in and out of scenes with quick-witted jabs and reactions that make you laugh out loud. He gives us another highlight (and set-up to the aforementioned puppet sex) with “You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You’re Making Love).” The entire scene had the audience hooting.

As mentioned, the cast is a mix of real-life actors and actors, dressed in black to minimize “obstruction,” maneuvering large-scale hand puppets.  At times, it was a bit challenging for me to shift between watching the puppets versus the actors themselves.  However, the performer who made it most seamless was Shelli Ezold as Lucy the Slut.  Ezold does an incredible job in her movement and manner, placing your focus on Lucy’s, um, assets while delivering a power-packed sexpot of a character with her gorgeous, sultry voice.  

Directed by Wayne Meadows, the show is accented with “Sesame-like” multimedia features, as well as fun audience interaction, and I was pleased to see that Meadows chose a live orchestra for music.  The first act moves quickly with the most raucous songs and activity; the second act is a bit slower but still enjoyable.  We sat in the front center row, but I don’t recommend it for everyone…I think the sightlines are a bit better further back in the theater. (Although you’ll miss getting picked on by the cast, which was a riot.) 

While I don’t necessarily wish I lived on Avenue Q, I absolutely loved visiting with its quirky residents, who made me glad that my life doesn’t suck as much as theirs.  Decide for yourself — the show runs through October 6!

See wilmingtondramaleague.org.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

At Chapel Street, it's Hitchcock with a Twist

The Chapel Street Players have never backed down from putting on challenging shows, but THE 39 STEPS poses a special kind of challenge: Take a 1935 Alfred Hitchcock movie and recreate it on stage using just four actors and a few props. If you haven’t seen the film, it’s got well more than four characters. And multiple settings, including the outside of a moving train, the Scottish countryside, and the London Palladium. The sometimes mad dash to deliver almost every line in the film and change the set to fit the scenes is hilarious, and you end up with something that is part tribute, part parody, and very funny throughout. 

Taking on the roles are Tom Trietly, in the only single-character role as Richard Hannay,  a hapless Englishman who finds himself a murder suspect after inviting a doomed German spy to stay at his home for the night. She’s the first of three love interests for the “dashing, wavy-haired” Hannay, all played by Anna Keane, who delivers over-melodramatic (as intended) spy, sheltered country wife, and 1930s firecracker smoothly. All of the other characters are played by Bethany Miller, billed as “Clown 1,” and Andrew Dluhy, as “Clown 2.” Despite their minor-sounding billing, these two carry the show with a rapid-fire succession of characters, including vaudeville performers, police, spies, train conductors, and townsfolk of all kinds. Often within the same scene, with more than one of their characters present. There’s plenty of gender-bending and over-the-top accents, with Miller stealing most of her scenes.

Trietly is goofily charming as Hannay, presenting the protagonist as a sympathetic, relatively normal guy thrown into a world of thrills and intrigue. 

Few shows are as fast-paced and fun as THE 39 STEPS, and CSP’s four stars deliver the entertaining show it’s meant to be. If you don’t think of Hitchcock as fun, you’re in for surprise. You may never look at his (often darkly comic) classic films the same way again.

The 39 Steps runs from September 20 - 28, 2013. To purchase tickets, go to chapelstreetplayers.org/

This review was originally published in Stage Magazine.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Copeland Quartet opens new series at Church of the Holy City


It was a delight to see the Copeland String Quartet in their eleventh year – because you can feel that they have invested enough time to coordinate in that magic extra-sensory perception chamber groups get after years of performing together. 
 
They courageously chose three pieces by composers not known for their chamber catalogs and the results were mixed.  For me, the Copeland’s interpretation of Hugo Wolf’s wild and raucous Italian Serenade was too tame and too cautious.  Wolf was trying to make music representing a rebellious soldier wooing a damsel aggressively and I felt this damsel would have been underwhelmed.  And yet, the exploration of the unknown was intriguing.
 
The second piece was a lush, romantic short piece by Giacomo Puccini, Crisantemi, which he wrote for a funeral but which today would be the sort of movie theme patrons buy and take home and play again and again.  The beautiful melodic lines were played freely and with great expression by first violinist Eliezer Gutman and the group provided the support and countermelodies as if they were thinking the same thoughts and breathing the same rhythm. 

The third and last piece on the program was a surprising string quartet which Giuseppe Verdi wrote in Naples while waiting for the soprano in Aida to recover from an illness.  No surprise that this extremely operatic composer wrote a quartet that seemed like an opera.  Tom Jackson, second violin, got to lead the outer movements as if playing the alto role.  The first violin joined the duet and then the strings began to sound like the orchestral part!  The third movement gave cellist Mark Ward a chance to show off the singing high notes of the cello as his colleagues formed a pizzicato accompaniment.

The quartet played an encore which is on their third and latest CD, the Andante Espressivo  movement from Felix Mendelssohn’s Quartet in D Major, Opus 44, Nr. 1.  The group knows this piece well and played it with confidence, yet it seemed still fresh and alive. 

We are lucky to have a quartet with such longevity as the Copeland Quartet, like a fine wine, is definitely improving with age.

 
See www.copelandstringquartet.com

 

Monday, September 16, 2013

Delaware Theatre Company Scores a Touchdown with "Any Given Monday"


The Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) opened its 2013/14 Season with the black comedy Any Given Monday by Bruce Graham. Mr. Graham's four character play about an easy going, loving man (Lenny played by Kenny Morris) who's life is turned upside down when his wife (Risa played by Leslie Hendrix) of 24 years decides to leave him for a smooth-talking Casanova. However, the plot thickens when Lenny’s blue-collar best friend (Mickey played by Michael Mastro) tells Lenny how he has taken revenge on the Casanova on Lenny's behalf while watching the Monday night football game. During the game and the friends’ conversation, Lenny’s daughter (Sarah played by Lucy DeVito) decides to come home from school to not console her father, but to toughen him up and not become a "softy" when his wife decides to come back. 

The play, set on the outskirts of Philadelphia, could have easily been a run-of-the-mill story about a cheating partner, but Mr. Graham has written a complex, witty piece with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat or bending over in laughter. I must admit I don't think I have ever laughed as hard at DTC as I did while watching this production.


Bud Martin expertly directed the production and the ensemble cast. Mr. Morris masterfully transforms from the sweet, easygoing high school teacher who’s obsessed with To Kill a Mockingbird in the first act to the take-charge alpha male in the second act. Ms. Hendrix is exquisite as the manipulative, spoiled wife. Her facial expressions and body language are priceless. Mr. Mastro has the task of delivering many of the shows funniest lines and he does it with great ease. He does an incredible job of bringing his dim-witted, but loveable character to life. Ms. DeVito rounds out the cast as the charming, but wise daughter who is obsessed with discussing life/death, religion and God. She does a fine job with her many humorous, philosophical monologues.

I have been seeing plays at DTC ever since I was a teenager in the late 80s and I’ve always been impressed with the sets for each production, and the set for this play doesn’t disappoint. Scenic Designer Dirk Durossette has created a multi-purpose stage that includes the inside of the family’s home and a portion of one side of the stage to serve for the scenes that take place outside of the home. His details are impeccable. Shortly after sitting down, my friend immediately pointed out the game of Sorry that was placed on a shelf in the family’s living room. It’s those details that I find add credibility to a play and makes it fun to explore the rest of the set!

Any Given Monday runs through September 22, at The Delaware Theatre Company. Visit www.delawaretheatre.org or call 302.594.1100. For additional information and

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

A Storyteller's Tale: Visit with TAHIRA


Delaware Arts Info sat down for a chat with local storyteller TAHIRA to discover more about her craft and how she shares her amazing gift with others. Check out our interview below...

TAHIRA is a storyteller, poet, vocalist and percussionist with a bachelor's degree from Temple University's School of Communication and Theatre. Whether performing her original works or her vast repertoire of stories from the African oral tradition, she brings to her audience messages of courage, hope and spiritual strength. An advocate of using the arts to bring about social change, TAHIRA says: "My mission is to shed light in dark places to reveal the brilliance of human spirit."

*How long have you been performing? How did you get your start? Where do you regularly perform?
In 1993, I was attending a Kwanzaa program at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia with my daughter who at the time was a toddler.  Charlotte Blake Alston, a renowned national storyteller, was performing.  It was a captivating performance and it reminded me of the Kwanzaa programs I organized in my high school days. After speaking with Charlotte after the performance she told me about a newly formed organization called Keepers Of The Culture (KOTC).  Soon after I joined KOTC where I was mentored and nurtured as a storyteller by Charlotte and Caroliese Frink Reed.

By 1996, I had quit my job as a trainer in the financial service industry and pursued storytelling as a full-time career.  A short time later, I became president of KOTC, an affiliate of the National Association of Black Storytellers, which catapulted me on the national storytelling platform where my study continued under the guidance of renowned storytellers such as Baba Jamal Koram, Mother Mary Carter Smith and Linda Goss.  Soon I was performing at festivals, conferences, schools, libraries, and community centers across the country.

Today, my work continues in those venues and has also spread to behavioral health institutions and detention centers as I found my niche developing programs tailored for those populations.  In 2000, I received the Fellowship Award for Outstanding Contribution in Oral Literature from the Delaware Division of the Arts, which led to me successfully obtaining spots on the artist’s rosters within art organizations across the country.

*Where do your stories come from? Where do you find inspiration for your content?
Many of the stories come from the African Diaspora with a particular focus on West African stories.  Additionally, I perform some original works.  My content is inspired by my childhood where I was instructed by my father to use my gifts to positively impact my community and encouraged by my mother to follow my dreams. Stories that resonate with me are those that empower my audience to think critically, choose wisely and believe fervently in their ability to succeed.

*What do you love most about your craft? What do you find most challenging?
After 20 years as a professional storyteller, it still blows me away how people are profoundly affected by the stories I tell.  Recently in my Women Word Wisdom workshop that I am conducting at the Walnut Street YMCA, a participant tearfully recounted to me how the story I told reaffirmed for her the need for her to spend more time on her own personal development. She confessed that she had been looking for some direction on how channel her creativity in a positive manner and my workshop gave her that direction.

The most challenging thing in my work is getting people to understand that storytelling is not frivolous entertainment for children.  Storytelling can be a catalyst for social change.  It is a powerful tool to inform, empower and heal.

*This might be a silly question, but is there a difference between poetry and spoken-word performances? If so, what is that?
Not a silly question at all!  The biggest difference: Spoken word is a performance-based art form.  Gil Scott Heron and the Last Poets are some of the legends that popularized this style of performance poetry, which laid the foundation for the Hip-Hop movement.

*What is your favorite poem or writer/poet that has influenced you or that you like to draw from for inspiration or inner strength?
Let me first tell you my favorite story as I am a storyteller first and foremost.  The story of Sudiata, the real Lion King, is my favorite because it tells of a child who is prophesized to be great; but when born with a physical affliction was ridiculed and berated.  He not only overcame his physical limitations but rose to be a great ruler of the Mali Empire.  It is a story many can draw inspiration, strength and wisdom from because it speaks to being triumphant in the face of great adversity.  A message any human being can relate to!

As for poetry, I love Paul Laurence Dunbar because my father used to read his poems to me as a child.  The poem Mother to Son is my favorite.  The lesson of determination and tenacity that this poem conveys is powerful.  I tend to be drawn to messages of hope and resiliency.

*You have a current performance program entitled "Women Word Wisdom." Tell us about that program and why you created it. Is there anyone else involved in the program? Where and when can we experience this program?
An intergenerational group of females are brought together to engage in a storytelling project aimed at promoting healthy interpersonal relationships.  Storytelling is used as a catalyst for examining and discussing topics such as self-esteem, safety in relationships and developing support systems.  This free program is sponsored by the Walnut Street YMCA under the direction K. El-Shabazz and is held on Thursdays from 6:00-7:00pm until October 10.

*What is your best advice for young poets and spoken-word artists who want to develop their talents?
Be a perpetual student of your craft.  There is always more to learn.  Find a seasoned artist in your craft to mentor you and keep you grounded and focused.  The work you do is bigger than you.  It is about using your gift to be of service to your community.

*Where is the best place for Wilmingtonians to find open mic poetry or spoken word venues to discover or perform themselves?
To be honest, I do not know of any venue in Wilmington that is offering open mic on a consistent basis.

*What aspects of the Wilmington/Delaware arts scene do you love the most? Where do you feel there should be improvement?
What I love most about the Wilmington/Delaware arts scene is that it has that small town feel.  People are warm and encouraging.  What could be improved upon is increasing support.  Countless times I have been to venues which are presenting high-quality art programming to an almost empty audience.  Support the arts!

See http://www.angelfire.com/de/TAHIRA.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Delaware Music: Rachel Schain's LilacFace

Coffeehouse darling (and Delaware Today's 2011 Best Musician in Upstate Delaware) Rachel Schain may be on maternity hiatus from live shows until 2014, but that's no reason to miss out on her music. If you haven't yet caught Schain's live acoustic show, her debut album, LilacFace, is a great way to get turned on to her quirky brand of pop-rock-folk.

While the songs are performed live with an acoustic guitar, LilacFace, produced by Boy Wonder, features Schain with a full band (Philly's Venice Sunlight), as well as guest appearances by Patrick Allen, TubaDan, Noelle Picara, Sheila Hershey, and Donna Smith. 

Schain's appeal is in her catchy melodies and clever lyrics. With titles like "Google Thinks We're Dating" and "Unconventionally Yours (2)," these are not your average folk-pop songs. And while several of the songs are about romantic relationships, they're love songs for girls who don't spend most of their time obsessing over boys (and the people who love them). The songs range from pretty and melodic "Liam's Song" to the rock anthem "Rockstar, Bitch!" with plenty of variation in between. The highlight of the album is "Songbird," a witty takedown that sounds much sweeter than it is (and when you get the double meaning, you'll laugh out loud).

LilacFace is available digitally on Amazon and iTunes, with both digital and physical copies for sale at CDBaby.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Annual Arden Fair Kicks-Off Labor Day Weekend

By Guest Blogger, Melissa Duko
Melissa is a former reporter for Spark magazine. She is a fan of all things fashion, art, and pop culture, and isn’t ashamed to admit she watches Bravo TV religiously.

Despite a forecast calling for rain, Arden Fair attendees saw only partly cloudy skies, allowing for hours of shopping, eating and entertainment. Saturday, Aug. 31 marked the 106th anniversary of the Arden Fair. The annual event of all things art brought out a diverse crowd of all ages, including newbies like me. Although I’m a native Delawarean, I’ve never attended the Arden Fair before. (I blame Labor Day weekend trips to the beach.) So I was excited to see the wares of local artisans and partake in delicious midway treats.

When I go to an event, parking is my number one concern.  I’ve heard how popular the Arden Fair is, so I decided to beat the crowd and get there right as the fair opened. My early arrival meant I could skip the free shuttle buses, and I scored a free parking spot over in the grassy field designated for parking. After parking, I hoofed it on foot over to the fairgrounds, burning calories along the way that would go toward future smoothies and kettle corn. 
I entered the fair, and made my way down to Shady Grove for the first performance of the day: The Diamond State Concert Band (www.dscb.org).  The volunteer concert band treated festival-goers to a variety of upbeat tunes.  Unfortunately, classical music isn’t my forte so the names of the songs escaped me.  While the music rolled on (the rest of the day’s acts included the Rob Tietze Duo, Kombu Combo, Kwesi Kankam, Stereo Box, Universal Funk Order, New Sweden, The Dreamkillers), I headed back to the vendors for some retail therapy.
The Fair featured more than 50 vendors, including Sage Tree and the eclectic Second Look Mosaic Creations. If you like to give loved ones (or yourself) unique gifts, the fair offered plenty to choose from: clothing for pets, hats, infinity scarves, sand art, and beer bottle cap art, just to name a few.  

All of that walking will work up an appetite, and my Arden Fair food favorites were the Kettle Corn ($7 large bag) and fresh fruit smoothies ($3 for a small). The kettle corn was such a hit that I regret not picking up two bags. Oh well, there is always next year!

Never been to the Arden Fair either? It’s always held Labor Day weekend. Mark your calendar now for next year (Aug. 30, 2014).

See http://ardenclub.org/about/arden-fair/.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Art & the Beach...What Could Be Better?

By Guest Blogger, Francine Stone
Francine is a Wilmingtonian whose passions include photography, theater, top-shelf tequila and a little guy named Finn. She lives in Bellefonte with her husband, Matt, and their Golden Retriever puppy, Finnegan.
 

The St. Peter's Annual Art Show in Lewes is one of my favorite summer events. Every year, I look forward to this event, which is always held the first Saturday of July. Over 140 artists of every genre line the streets surrounding the historic St. Peter's Episcopal Church on Second Street. The folks at St. Peter's do a wonderful job selecting high-quality art and balancing the representation of various media via their juried selection process. The art on display is always beautiful, and collectors of all kinds can find something they covet.
The 47th annual show was held this year on July 6, and my mother-in-law and I headed out early to beat the heat. The artists for whom jewelry is a medium always capture my attention, so we made sure to visit the booths of our perennial favorites, Joy Davis (http://www.delawarebyhand.org/davis) and Anna Biggs (http://www.annabiggsdesigns.com).  

I also found a new favorite whose designs I'm eyeing up for my collection — Moonflower Jewelry (www.moonflowerjewelry.net).  Jen Brower of Moonflower creates intricate hand-woven silver pieces — think chain-mail as beautiful jewelry!  

As a budding hobby photographer, I was also taken by several photographers with stunning work on display. Gene Pembrook's travel photos (http://www.35slide.com) are breathtaking works that increased my wanderlust tenfold. I also loved Elisabeth Bard's nature photography (www.elisabethbard.com) — I found myself particularly taken with an intimate portrait of an angry Chickadee in the snow!
 
I was equally impressed by Painterly Photography by Linda McAdams (www.lindamcadams.com), who has a unique technique of hand-altering Polaroids and transferring them to canvas for an Impressionistic effect. The colorful scenes by City Man were reminiscent of my beloved New Orleans, and the unique scenes and pet portraits by Mark Turner (www.markvturner.org) were captivating. 

If you've never been to the St. Peter's Art Show, I encourage you to visit next year (July 5, 2014).  If you go, be sure you come hungry because the famous turkey salad croissant lunch prepared by the ladies of the church is also something to look forward to each year! 

See http://www.stpeterslewes.org/#/special-ministries/art-show

A Fearless New Season of Comedy in Arden...Plus CTC's Big 20th Kickoff

As City Theater Company prepares to launch its landmark 20th season — leading with an electric, one-night-only, in-concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar at World Cafe Live at the Queen, directed/produced Joe Trainor and featuring a full band and cast of CTC fan-favorites —its wildly popular comedy improv troupe, FEARLESS IMPROV, is gearing up for a side-splitting new season as well.


Fearless Improv brought the funny to Penn's Place this summer.
Following last year's successful debut of regular gigs at Wilmington's Chris White Gallery, and a fantastic summer run at Penn's Place in old New Castle, the troupe now moves to the larger space of the Buzz Ware Village Center in Arden for regular shows on the 3rd Friday of each month, beginning September 20.

"All shows are at 8:00pm and will provide you with an hour of endless laughs and tears of joy," says the troupe's Facebook page.  And judging by the crowds and "buzz" the group has consistently drawn, that's absolutely true.  Plus, it's a very affordable $5 admission at the door, with drinks and snacks available for purchase, and free parking.  So, you've really got no excuse NOT to come giggle, participate and make'em up with some of City Theater Company's finest.

See www.city-theater.org.
See www.facebook.com/CTCIMPROV.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

A Farewell to Danielle Rice — One of Delaware Arts' Best!

Post courtesy of The Delaware Art Museum
Blogger Note: We wish Dr. Rice the very best in her new endeavors. We are truly sad at her departure from our Delaware Arts circle, but we thank her for her unwavering commitment to invigorate, elevate and promote the Delaware Art Museum and the entire Delaware Arts scene. Thank you, Danielle!  We are so grateful and fortunate to have had you as one of our fearless and dedicated leaders.

The Board of Trustees of the Delaware Art Museum announces the departure of Executive Director Dr. Danielle Rice. Dr. Rice led the Museum for the past eight years. Her departure will be effective September 1, 2013. Mike Miller, the Museum's current Chief Financial Officer, will take the helm as acting Chief Executive Officer while the Board undertakes a national search for a successor to Dr. Rice.
 

Under her leadership, the Museum experienced a virtual rebirth. Shortly after her arrival, Dr. Rice successfully managed the opening of the newly renovated and expanded building, along with the related festivities in June 2005. She initiated a large number of community partnerships and re-established the Museum's image. She also led a strategic planning effort that resulted in a revised mission and tightly focused community-minded goals. In 2007 and 2008 she guided the Museum through the American Alliance of Museums' rigorous re-accreditation process.
 

During her tenure, the Museum hosted several successful major exhibitions and welcomed back the Bancroft Collection of Pre-Raphaelite Art from a world tour into newly designed galleries. In addition to enriching the Museum's collections through major acquisitions of art, including 50 works from the Vogel collection and numerous other gifts, Dr. Rice helped to initiate and launch several innovative uses of technology, including cell phone tours, dedicated websites for John Sloan and the Pre-Raphaelites, and the delightful interactive educational website Art of Storytelling. She led the Museum through its Centennial Celebration, including a wide array of partnerships throughout the state. She also initiated the Centennial Campaign for the Next Century Fund, which has raised over $6.5 million.

Gerret Copeland, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, noted on behalf of the Board, "Danielle has been a great asset to the Museum and to the community. She has made the Museum a place where everyone can feel welcome. We are deeply grateful for her leadership over the past eight years and we wish her all the best in her next adventure."  

Beginning in September 2013, Dr. Rice will assume the position of Director of the Master of Science Program in Museum Leadership at Drexel University's Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. This newly created Master of Science in Museum Leadership program is designed to prepare leaders who will enable museums to fulfill their missions of stewardship and education. The program combines cutting-edge theory, history and practice, and addresses the need for increased diversity in the museum workforce, management, collections, and programs.

See www.delart.org.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Wilmington Children's Chorus Welcomes German Youth in Weeklong Celebration of Music

Excitement is building among the 160 youth from the Wilmington Children's Chorus (WCC) and Youth Chamber Orchestra of Fulda, Germany as they are in the midst of the week of a lifetime. A cultural exchange program and music festival that began Sunday, July 28, in Wilmington will culminate with a joint public concert on Saturday, August 3, at 7:30pm at St. Helena's Catholic Church, 602 Philadelphia Pike in Bellefonte.

The evening's performance will feature Schubert's Mass in G and other works for chorus, orchestra and soloists by Mendelssohn, Brahms and Bernstein. The concert is free and open to the public, although a free-will offering will be taken to help underwrite the costs of the concert. (A $10 minimum donation is suggested.) 


Members of both ensembles have performed at public and private events during the cultural exchange week, including a July 29 Wilmington Blue Rocks game and a gala reception for community leaders at the Delaware Art Museum.  The week included daily rehearsal time for choristers and orchestra members, and so much more. The WCC promised its German counterparts a truly American cultural experience featuring a series of fun and educational activities, both in the City of Wilmington and the region.
 

To start, the orchestra and their chaperones enjoyed a pool party and barbecue with WCC at St. Anthony's in the Hills.  On July 29, WCC's German guests experienced minor league baseball with the Wilmington Blue Rocks and WCC's Young Men's Ensemble sang The National Anthem prior to the first pitch. Members of both groups entertained audiences at an invitation-only Welcome Reception at the Delaware Art Museum later that weekend.

The fun continued with WCC and orchestra members traveling to Cape Henlopen for an all-American beach day, complete with summer sun and an evening clambake as chaperones got a special tour of Delaware's own Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton. Delaware's German-American community welcomed the guests at the Delaware Saengerbund in Newark. The Birthplace of Liberty — Philadelphia — was a stop, with visits to The Constitution Center, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and lunch at Reading Terminal Market. Saturday, August 3, will be concert day, and the orchestra will depart on Sunday, August 4, after a morning brunch and musical showcase at Christina Cultural Arts Center. 


WCC's Artistic Director Kimberly Doucette says the choristers — ranging in age from eight to 18, plus alumni singers from WCC — have set aside weekend and summer activities to practice and prepare for these events.  For many choristers, this is the first experience meeting and working with individuals from outside the United States; for others, this event marks an opportunity to reciprocate the hospitality they received from German orchestra members and host families during a 2011 summer tour, which included time in Wilmington's Sister Cities of Fulda, Germany and Nemours, France.

"The 2011 visit was life-changing for our choristers and their families," Doucette recalled. "They experienced the pride of representing the City of Wilmington as cultural ambassadors abroad. Our choristers became global citizens and formed lifelong friendships with both the musicians and their host families in Fulda. We cannot wait to welcome the orchestra and their chaperones to Wilmington."


"In hosting our German friends, we're building on the success of a wonderful cultural exchange born in 2011," Doucette concluded, "and we're showing children who might never travel overseas the immense value of not just sharing music, but sharing all Wilmington has to offer - here at home and abroad."

Both the WCC and The Fulda Youth Orchestra are widely recognized regionally for their commitment to artistic excellence and music education. In Delaware, the WCC enjoys a strong reputation for creating opportunity for local and regional youth. WCC has performed with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, OperaDelaware, First State Ballet Theatre, the Philadelphia Arab Music Ensemble, and American composer Robert Powell.

The Festival was sponsored in part by Sister Cities International of Wilmington, Wawa, The Delaware Division of the Arts, the Christina Cultural Arts Center, the Kenny Family Foundation of ShopRite Supermarkets, and Papa's Pastry in Wilmington. St. Helena's Parish as well as First and Central Presbyterian Church and The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew have generously supported this project by providing rehearsal and performance space. The Delaware Saengerbund provided cultural and language support to the WCC as it prepared for the exchange.

The Wilmington Children's Chorus is a multicultural children's choir sponsored by the City of Wilmington, Dennis P. Williams, Mayor, as a project of Cityfest, Inc. Any qualified child can participate for free, regardless of financial or social background.


See www.wilmingtonchildrenschorus.org.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Folks, Get Your Tickets...Annie's Got Her Gun!

Annie &Frank. Photo courtesy of The Brandywiners.
Danielle Rice is Executive Director of the Delaware Art Museum. She and her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Berger, are theater and music lovers and support all of the arts in Delaware.
It certainly didn’t hurt that the weather was absolutely perfect, but we were thrilled to finish off a busy week with dinner and a show al fresco. The Brandywiners that energetic community theater group that has been staging summer shows at Longwood Gardens for 60 years  this year arranged a special 15% discount for theater-goers with local restaurants. So we gladly started our evening with a relaxed (and discounted!) dinner at Buckley’s.

We arrived at Longwood with half an hour to spare and we spent it strolling amidst the glorious gardens. There’s nothing better for washing away the stresses of the workweek! We were delighted to see that the outdoor theater was almost full to capacity with a diverse and enthusiastic crowd, and, of course, we always love seeing the illuminated fountains that serve as curtains while we wait for the show to begin.

Annie Get Your Gun is based on the remarkable true story of Annie Oaklely, the first major American entertainment celebrity. Born in poverty in rural Ohio, Annie supported her family with hunting and trapping and at age 15 she defeated Frank Butler in a shooting match but won his heart. The two were married and enjoyed a long relationship and partnership in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

The Broadway musical, which opened at the Imperial Theatre on May 16, 1946, was written specifically for Ethel Merman, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin from the book by Herbert and Dorothy Fields. It was the biggest Broadway hit of Merman's career. The 1999 Broadway revival, which showcased Bernadette Peters, was updated for modern times. Not only did Peter Stone make revisions to Herbert and Dorothy Fields's original book (the story is now a show within a show, namely Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show), but there have been revisions to Berlin's original score as well. It is this version that The Brandywiners are staging at Longwood Gardens this summer.

The show opens with that old time favorite, There’s No Business Like Show Business which becomes the recurring theme (and of course we all go out humming it to ourselves). Other recognizable tunes include That Girl That I Marry, You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun and of course, the absolutely delicious Anything You Can Do, which will have your kids singing for a long time to come! The Brandywiners’ production features clever sets that roll in and out of the hedges and dazzling costumes. Rebecca Buswell Kostifas gives us an adorable and energetic Annie who blasts out her numerous songs with confident gusto. Robert Welch is cast as Frank Butler 
 the man that Annie has to figure out how to win over after winning over him with her shooting. While a bit stiff as an actor, Welch has a lovely voice that pairs beautifully with Kostifas’.

It took the large cast a bit of time to get into the swing of things and the first act dragged a bit, but the second act was sheer delight. The Ballroom Scene was exquisite in the unadorned garden setting and the choreography was tight and effective. The dance performed by Winnie (Carolyn Peck) and Tommy (Ricky Rotandi) was exceptional. And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the delightful children’s ensemble and in particular Jessie (Alie Weldon), Nellie (Nicole Hemphill) and Little Jake (Misha Teixido) who perform a show-stopping Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly in the first act.

All in all, Annie Get Your Gun marks another ambitious success for The Brandywiners, and it is well worth seeing. Be sure to check out all the area restaurants that are offering the discounted dinners throughout the run of the show.

Get tickets and additional information at: www.brandywiners.org but please, leave your guns at home!