Broadway Palm’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ provides new slant on timeless musical Meet ‘Last Night of Ballyhoo’ newcomer and FSW sophomore Tyler Charpentier

Here’s what’s happening April 16-21, 2017

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Wanna know what’s happening in the arts, independent film or theater here in Southwest Florida? Well, this is what’s going down April 16-21, 2017:

Here are the five concerts that Broadway Palm is producing during its 2017-2018 season (04-21-17)

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre’s 25th anniversary season will include five concerts:

Yesterday: The Beatles Tribute;
One of These Nights: A Tribute to the Eagles;
The Rave-Ons: Tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & The Big Bopper;
The Piano Man: The Music of Billy Joel and Elton John; and
Dwight Icenhower’s Tribute to the King.

For dates and details, read here.

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Here are the eight shows that will grace Broadway Palm’s main stage in 2017-18 season (04-21-17)

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre’s 25th anniversary season will include eight main stage productions, five productions in The Off Broadway Palm, four Children’s Theatre productions (TBA), and five concerts. Broadway Palm’s main stage opens on September 7, 2017 and runs through August 11, 2018. Read here to see which plays will be produced.

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Arts for ACT exhibiting Pat Cleveland retrospective in May (04-20-17)

In May, Arts for ACT Gallery will feature a retrospective of work by Pat Cleveland in the main gallery and the mixed media art of Annette Brown in the White Gallery. New Works from over 25 co-op artists will also be featured.

Pat began painting at age three when her artist mother put a brush in her hand and gave her a small canvas to paint on. Born in New Jersey, she graduated from Traphagen School of Design in New York City. Afterwards, Pat worked as an interior designer for Bloomingdales until 1975 when she moved to Florida. Once here, she signed on as a designer at Robb and Stucky.

After retiring, Pat became a member of several local art leagues and began showing her work in group and solo exhibits, winning awards and notices. In 1996, one of her paintings won an award in an international competition sponsored by Artis Spectrum Magazine in New York City and was featured in an issue of that magazine. An active member of art organizations, Pat taught creative workshops and art programs for adults and children.

Pat’s work has been represented by Rick Moore Fine Art Gallery in Naples, Sanibel Gallery and Seaweed Gallery in Sanibel, Wildchild Gallery on Matlacha Island, Images Gallery in Lakeland, and Witt and Witt Gallery, Syzygy Gallery and Arts for ACT Gallery in Fort Myers. Her work can be found in many private collections, including such notables as actress Lily Tomlin, Russian Ice Dance Olympic Gold Medalists, local and national collectors.

In 2013, Pat developed macular degeneration and is now legally blind. She continues to paint, treating the vision change not as a challenge but as an opportunity for creative growth. Her paintings are oil on canvas and her subject matter varies from landscapes to animals, florals and still life.

Pat was one of six artists featured by ACT for their annual fundraiser auction in 2013. In 2016, ACT recognized Pat with award for donating to the auction for 28 years.

This exhibit has an array of Pat’s work from both before and after her loss of vision.

“This retrospective exhibit contains a selection of early and new paintings,” notes Pat. “Since macular degeneration has changed my vision to a great extent, the viewer will note that I am using a strong color palette and less detail. It is a new way of seeing and expressing my thoughts and feelings, and I have been enjoying the transition from my earlier style of work. It has given me a sense of freedom from painting with more detail.”

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Angela Hicks brings night of jazz and love songs to Franklin Shops during Music Walk (04-20-17)

Be prepared for a night of emotion tomorrow night when Angela Hicks presents jazz standards and love songs at the Franklin Shops during Friday night’s Music Walk in the downtown Fort Myers River District. Hicks’ soft and sultry voice evinces a vulnerability that underscores the paradox of love and its ruin. Included in Angela’s sets are such memorable jazz and pop standards as Fever, La View En Rose, Summertime, Glory Box, Like a Star and Mr. Magic. So drop in on the Franklin Shops between 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. for a deep draught of love, life, passion and yes, even heartbreak. The Franklin Shops on First are located at 2200 First Street in the heart of downtown Fort Myers.

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Member show ‘Elevation’ comes to Alliance in August (04-20-17)

Elevation: The Next Level will be on display at the Alliance for the Arts from August 4 through August 31. Members are invited to submit one work that follows this theme framed, wired and ready to hang between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 31. The opening reception will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on August 4.

So what, exactly, is Elevation: The Next Level? Well, the dictionary provides three possibilities:

to move or raise to a higher place or position; lift up,
to raise to a higher state, rank, or office; exalt; promote,
to raise to a higher intellectual or spiritual level.

You may become a member in order to participate in the exhibit. For more information, please telephone 239-939-2787 or visit http://www.artinlee.org.

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Lab Theater making progress on purchase, repair of Woodford Ave theater (04-20-17)

The Laboratory Theater of Florida hosted its 9th Season Announcement Soiree & Fundraiser on Monday. In addition to announcing the plays it will produce next season, The Lab raised funds for the repair of its soon-to-be permanent home.

Artistic Director Annette Trossbach emceed the event, sharing with attendees The Lab’s goals for repair and refurbishment of the 94-year old building that has served as home to The Lab since it relocated from the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center several seasons ago. A model of the 1.3 acre property in the Fort Myers River District also served to show the spaces that were available for naming rights.

“We are thrilled to announce that three of the spaces available for naming rights were secured by generous donors on Monday night, and that further funds were raised through our silent auction and other donations,” says Trossbach. Over $117,000 was raised at the event.

Morph suit-clad actors engaged the audience for the event and helped to announce the season, as did Square One Improv.

This successful fundraiser comes on the heels of the theater’s autumn fundraiser at The Barrel Room on Bay Street, at which more than $160,000 was raised towards the purchase of the building which the theater has been renting for almost six years. The property also includes two outbuildings which will serve as an education center and a costume and storage shop.

To donate to this not-for-profit theater, or for tickets and more information about shows and events, please call the theater at (239) 218-0481 or visit LaboratoryTheaterFlorida.com. The Laboratory Theater of Florida is located in the River District at 1634 Woodford Ave, Fort Myers, FL 33901. A 501(c)(3) organization, The Laboratory Theater of Florida is dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts through live performance, education, community outreach, experimentation, and the development of ensemble work. The company features ensemble productions, produces classic works, takes artistic risks, and features and challenges local performers of various skill levels. For more information, please visit LaboratoryTheaterFlorida.com.

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‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ flies into Florida Rep for five shows (04-20-17)

Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable unnamed orphan comes to be Peter Pan, “The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up.” From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair … and the bonds of friendship, duty and love. And you can catch this amazing grown-up prequel flies into Florida Rep’s Artstage Studio Theatre for five performances May 24-28.

Read the rest of this announcement here.

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‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ play dates, times and ticket info (04-20-17)

A young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain’s cabin, which contains a precious, otherworldly cargo. At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training who realizes that the trunk’s precious cargo is starstuff, a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands. When the ship is taken over by pirates – led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own – the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure.

This is the storyline of Peter and the Starcatcher, a Tony-nominated award-winning musical that sails into the Florida Rep Artstage Studio Theatre for five performances at the end of May. For play dates, times and ticket information, read here.

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Meet photographer Wanda Extrom (04-19-17)

Wanda Extrom was one of the artists who took part in Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens’ observance of Slow Art Day earlier this month. The photograph she brought to the gallery for the occasion is a sunset replete with purple clouds and reflections that she appropriately titled Purple Glass. Participants called the image “serene,” “restful,” “relaxing,” “peaceful,” “soothing, and “calming.” One person said it “made me feel like I was sitting there unwinding at the end of the day with a glass of wine.” Karen Jarstad said, “It has a gauzy effect and the longer I looked at it, it made me feel like I was sitting on a beach with my eyes sort of half closed in that nether place between sleep and wakefulness.

Not familiar with Extrom or her work? Well, she’s profiled on Lovegrove’s blog. Read here.

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Meet photographer Kirsten Troyer (04-19-17)

Another of the artists who took part in Slow Art Day out in Matlacha was Kirsten Troyer. Photography has been Kirsten’s passion since she was very young. She says that she enjoys framing the beauty of nature and capturing those treasured moments that slip by so quickly. She has a knack for capturing the essence of the moment in her images. Want to know more about Kirsten and her work? She’s profiled in Leoma Lovegrove’s blog. Read here.

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Lab Theater’s ‘Body & Sold’ focuses attention on epidemic of human trafficking (04-19-17)

The Laboratory Theater of Florida is presenting a limited run of Deborah Lake Fortson’s Body & Sold May 5 through 7. Taken from real stories of victims of human trafficking, this stunning documentary play sheds light on this growing problem taking place right here in Southwest Florida.

Over 100,000 American youngsters run away from home every year. Within 48 hours of being on the street, these teens will be approached by someone posing as a friend or Good Samaritan, offering food, shelter and love. Many will be forced into prostitution or involuntary servitude.

Read the rest of this announcement here.

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‘Body & Sold’ play dates, times and ticket information (04-19-17)

The Laboratory Theater of Florida is presenting a limited run of Deborah Lake Fortson’s “Body & Sold” May 5 through 7. Taken from real stories of victims of human trafficking, this stunning documentary play sheds light on this growing problem taking place right here in Southwest Florida. Read here for play dates, times and ticket information.

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‘Doublewide’ modern-day Greek tragedy about death of the American dream (04-18-17)

From the instant you walk into Florida Rep’s Artstage Studio Theatre, you know you’re about to experience something unique. Ensconced in the middle of three cozy sections of tiered theater seats arranged in an elongated horseshoe is the spare interior of the doublewide mobile home perched atop cinder blocks painted pale blue to match the exterior trim. You’re so close that it feels as if you’re sitting in a lawn chair or atop a downturned five-gallon paint bucket in the front yard. That wouldn’t be bad except that the drone of cars speeding by reminds you that you’re sitting dangerously close to a highway that connects the nearby town with the casino up the road.

Read here for the rest of this review.

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Deadline for submitting for inclusion in Alliance’s All Florida show is April 29 (04-18-17)

Florida artists wishing to be considered for the Alliance for the Arts’ 31st Annual All Florida Juried Exhibition have until April 29 to submit their applications. Download the Prospectus for all the particulars.

The All Florida show features works created by artists working in a wide variety of media from all over the state of Florida. The juried entries come together for an exciting exhibition representing today’s contemporary Florida artists.

Kimberly Riner is serving as Juror for this exhibition. Ms. Riner the Visual Arts Director at the David H. Averitt Center for the Arts in Statesboro, Georgia. She has been actively involved in growing the art scene in the Statesboro area, working with ArtsFest, Summer Studios and Creative Art Studio. Most recently, she opened the Averitt Center’s visual arts facility, The Roxie Remley Center for Fine Arts.

Kimberly received her Masters of Fine Art degree from Georgia Southern University with an emphasis in ceramics. Riner has held faculty positions at Georgia Southern University and Ogeechee Technical College. Her artwork has been exhibited both nationally and internationally and is held in numerous private collections. Exhibition venues include Mason City, IA; Atlanta, GA; North Charleston, SC; Lake City, SC; Cochran, GA; and Sheffield, England, UK.

The opening reception for this year’s All Florida Juried Exhibition will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on June 2. Ms. Riner will conduct a Walk & Talk at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 3. In addition to selecting the works that will be included in the show, Ms. Riner will select an overall Best in Show, second and third place winners, and the recipient of a Juror’s Choice Award. Best in Show will receive $1,000 in cash. Second place will receive a $250 Golden Paints gift certificate, with third place receiving a $100 cash prize.

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Alliance accepting submissions for ‘By the Sea’ exhibit at RSW (04-18-17)

Thanks to a decade-long partnership between the Alliance for the Arts and the Southwest Florida International Airport, millions of travelers get to see works by area artists as they arrive and depart. The Alliance is now accepting submissions for By the Sea, a juried photography exhibit that portrays the amazing life beneath the waves and on the shores of Florida’s coasts. The deadline for entry is June 1. By the Sea will be exhibited from July 2017 to July 2018. “With 825 miles of beaches to choose from, you’re in good sands,” touts the Alliance.

Read here for more on the Art in Flight program the Alliance operates in partnership with RSW.

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‘Tadao Cem – Taek Lee’ on exhibit at Thomas Riley Studio through May 25 (04-18-17)

On view now through May 25 at Thomas Riley Studio in the Naples Design District is Tadao Cern – Taek Lee. It’s a multi-media show that features two artists from the across the globe who are pioneering new and innovative processes. Tadao Cern is a Lithuanian multi-media artist known internationally for his projects Black Balloons, Chromatic Aberrations and his photographic series, Comfort Zone. Taekyeom Lee is currently a professor at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Formally trained in graphic design, Taek explores unconventional methods of creating three-dimensional type with materials and techniques unique to type design —such as ceramics and desktop 3D printing.

Thomas Riley Studio is located at 26 10^th Street South, Naples. For more information, please contact Gallery Coordinator Hannah Johnson by email at Hannah@thomasrileystudio.com or by phone at 239-529-2633.

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Paintings from Paul Arsenault’s New England collection on exhibit in Naples gallery through April 26 (04-18-17)

Paul Arsenault has been painting coastal New England since his childhood in Hingham, Massachusetts. Although his journey brought him to Naples in 1974, Paul returns to New England annually to paint the landscape that inspired him at such an early age. Many of the paintings in his current show at Arsenault Studio & Banyan Art Gallery have never been shown before in Naples and represent some of his favorite locations from Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard to coastal Massachusetts and Maine. This inspired collection of New England paintings will be on display through April 26, 2017.

Arsenault Studio & Banyan Arts Gallery is located at 1199 Third Street South, Naples, FL 34102. For more information, please telephone 239-263-1214, email info@arsenaultgallery.com or visit http://www.arsenaultgallery.com.

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Senior Project Spring 2017 exhibition opens at FGCU on April 20 (04-18-17)

At the end of their studies, each Florida Gulf Coast University art major completes a senior project in which he or she successfully executes a body of work combining their knowledge of technique and concepts while drawing on the research of historical and contemporary artists. The completed projects are presented in an exhibition open to the University community and the public. That exhibition opens in the main gallery on Thursday, April 20.

Each student will give a brief presentation about their exhibition beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the U. Tobe Recital Hall in the Music Building on the FGCU campus. A reception will follow in the main gallery at the Arts Complex until 7:00 p.m.

Senior Project students this semester are Sabrina Alonso, Jacob Beil, Tiffany Billings, Jordan Blankenship, Hannah Brasacchio, Marshall Bynoe, Brianna Criswell, Kaitlin Dowis, Taryn Estrada, Adriana Flores, Marile Franco, Taijhryl Goggins, Kelsey Hallbeck, Amanda Martin, Anna Nunez, Donald Smith, and Sarah Wasson.

Patricia Fay and Mary Voytek are the faculty mentors for this group of graduates.

The exhibition runs through May 5 and is made possible with the generous support of U. Tobe, Pallette Pals of the United Church of Christ, and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

The Gallery is in the Arts Complex on FGCU’s main campus at 10501 FGCU Blvd. S. Parking is available in Lot 7 for gallery visitors. Regular viewing hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday. For further information on this exhibition and others, please visit artgallery.fgcu.edu or call Anica Sturdivant at (239) 590-7199 or asturdiv@fgcu.edu.

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Tower Gallery to featuring Reichow in season-ending show (04-18-17)

Tower Gallery is featuring the work of Florida watercolor artist Christine Reichow for its season-ending show. Tower Gallery is an artists’ cooperative consisting of 23 artists working in two-dimensional and three-dimensional media such as oil, acrylic, watercolor, photography, ceramic, wood glass and metal. The gallery is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. seven days a week. The gallery was founded in 1982 and moved to its present location in 1994. It is housed in a spacious original Old Florida cottage that features Craftsman elements. It was originally built on the shores of Sanibel Island in 1915 and was later moved by flatbed truck to its present site. The aqua-blue and white building is in its repainted but original construction. The large gallery space is inviting, well-lit and full of Old Florida charm. Tower gallery is located at 751 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel, FL. (239) 472-455

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Plenty of time to get ready for Arts for ACT open-themed show (04-18-17)

Arts for ACT Gallery in the downtown Fort Myers River District will hold its annual open themed group exhibit in July and has issued a call to artists for the show.

This year’s themes are:

Year of the Rooster;
Current Social Issues or Things that Matter; and
Bizarre and Surreal.

Themes may be mixed.

Artists entry fees are:

1 piece: $10.00,
2 pieces: $15.00, and
3 pieces: $20.00

Entry fees are non-refundable.

Cash prizes will be awarded for

First Place: $100.00,
Second Place: $75.00,
Third Place: $50.00, and
Honorable Mention $25.00.

The judge for the show will be announced at a later date.

Artists will be required to drop of their work for judging from Monday, June 26, 2017 through Sunday, July 2, 2017. Artwork must be delivered framed, wired and ready to hang.

Pieces which are not selected for the show must be picked up on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

The opening reception takes place from 6:00-10:00 p.m. on July 7, 2017 concurrently with Art Walk and will remain on display through July 31.

A 40% commission will be retained by Arts for ACT Gallery on all artwork sold, with the proceeds benefitting the ACT Shelter. Unsold works must be picked up between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 31.

For more information, please contact Claudia Goode by email at cgoode@actabuse.com or by telephone at 239-337-5050.

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Lab Theater season announcement soiree and fundraiser is tonight (04-17-17)

The Laboratory Theater of Florida has big plans. It intends to purchase and refurbish the building it currently calls home with an eye toward reconstituting the historic old church as a state-of-the-art boutique theater in which sophisticated, tech-savvy productions can be staged to the delight of local audiences. But as you can imagine, that’s going to require some considerable green. So The Lab is hosting a Season Announcement Soiree tonight to announce its upcoming ninth season and raise funds for needed repairs and renovations.

Termite extermination, sewer line repair and a new roof headline the list of basic repairs that must be made before adaptive renovations can begin. At the same time, The Lab needs to fund the expansion of the theater’s educational and outreach programs, investing in future community-oriented programs and socially-conscious theater.

During the event, multiple opportunities to win naming rights will be available, as well as silent auction raffles. Attendees will also have an opportunity to purchase season tickets at a discounted rate at the event, but the discount is available only at the event.

The gathering will take place from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the theater, which is located at 1634 Woodford Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33901). For more information, please call the theater at (239) 218-0481.

A 501(c)(3) organization, The Laboratory Theater of Florida is dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts through live performance, education, community outreach, experimentation, and the development of ensemble work. The company features ensemble productions, produces classic works, takes artistic risks, and features and challenges local performers of various skill levels.

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On stage through April 29 at The Lab is Alfred Uhrey’s ‘The Last Night of Ballyhou’ (04-17-17)

Alfred Uhrey’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo opened at Lab Theater on April 14. On its surface, it’s a Tony-winning play about an extended Jewish family’s relationship with their religion and each other. But dig deeper, and you’ll discover a wonderfully insightful story about the attempts of the younger generation to assimilate into the fabric of American society that resonates today not only with African-American, Hispanic and Asian segments of our population, but members of the LGBTQ . Thanks to sharp direction and superb acting, The Lab’s production of Ballyhoo operates successfully on both of these levels.

Read here for the rest of this review.

For more on this production and the actors who perform in the play:

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Meet ‘Last Night of Ballyhoo’ actor and FSW sophomore Tyler Charpentier (03-17-17)

The 1997 Tony Award-winning comedy/drama The Last Night of Ballyhoo opens at the Laboratory Theater of Florida on April 14. Among the show’s talented cast is Tyler Charpentier, who plays quirky social climber Peachy (“What do you think?”) Weil.

Tyler is currently a sophomore at Florida SouthWestern State College. This is his debut performance at Lab Theater, although he has been involved twice before in fundraisers. Some of his previous roles include Danny/East in Almost, Maine, Guildenstern in Rozencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, and Eric in Paragon Springs.

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Broadway Palm’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ provides new slant on timeless musical (04-17-17)

On April 6, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s first (and some think best) musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, opened on the main stage of the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. This particular bears the imprint of director and choreographer Amy Marie McCleary in two distinctly profound ways.

First and foremost, Jesus Christ Superstar (JCS) is a rock opera. Not only is the action non-stop, it is insanely intense. Thanks to McCleary’s careful, reverent, even inspired attention to both detail and big picture, her masterful choreography functions as a character that’s every bit as important as the set, costumes and the actors comprising this impossibly large cast of twenty-one.

You will find the rest of this review here.

And for more on this production:

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Delightful comedy ‘Things My Mother Taught Me’ on stage through April 29 at Off-Broadway Palm (04-17-17)

On stage in the Off Broadway Palm through April 29 is Katherine DiSavino’s sentimental comedy Things My Mother Taught Me.

The play centers around Gabe (played by James Putnam) and Olivia (Katie Pankow), two 28-year-olds (okay she’s only 27 and one-half) who have driven a U-Haul from New York to Chicago and are moving into their first apartment together. It’s not going well. The brand new chair the couple bought together is wedged tightly in the door frame and won’t budge, forcing Olivia and her beau to lug their belongings up the exterior fire escape to their fourth-floor flat. It’s an omen. Her day is about to get much, much worse.

Unbeknownst to Liv, Gabe is planning to use the dubious occasion of move-in day to propose. I know. This violates Marriage Proposal Mistake No. 5: Not Waiting for the Right Moment. I mean, really, what girl hasn’t dreamed of standing among unpacked boxes and haphazardly arranged furniture, tired, sweaty and frazzled, as her guy drops to one knee to propose marriage?

But this isn’t Gabe’s worst gaff. Committing Marriage Proposal Mistake No. 3, he has invited both sets of parents to join them on move-in day so that they can be on hand when he pops the question!

Read here for the rest of this review, and below for more details:

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Ghostbird Theatre ‘No. 27′ coming to Shangri-La Springs (04-17-17)

Ghostbird Theatre Company’s next production is called No. 27. Co-created and c0-written by Ghostbird co-founder Katelyn Gravel and FGCU Theatre Professor Barry Cavin, the site-specific play will be performed at Shangri-La Springs April 27-29 and May 4-6.

The play follows Creature, who is an engineer – for a miniature railway. Five days a week, Creature toots and whistles around the wooded landscape of a private park down by The Lake of Lost Thoughts. Creature finds a modicum of comfort traveling in a loop. No matter the time traveled, the track brings you back to the same spot.

Shangri-La Springs is one of Bonita Spring’s most historic landmarks, and Shangri-La Springs and Executive Chef Pyro are offering a unique dinner pairing in conjunction with the play. But seating for both dinner and the show are limited, so avoid disappointment by purchasing your tickets and making dinner reservations right away. Following are the details about the play, Shangri-La and the playwrights, Katelyn Gravel and Barry Cavin:

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Theatre Conspiracy New Play Contest winner ‘Noli Timere’ opens in Foulds Theatre May 5 (04-17-17)

Jared Michael Delaney’s Noli Timere (Don’t Be Afraid) won Theatre Conspiracy’s 2016/2017 New Play Contest. The play tells the story of a newly-ordained priest and his sister who are made to confront something from their past when a strange man knocks on the door of the rectory late one night. The ensuing confrontation leads them both into a frightening world that may, in fact, just be our own.

Noli Timere opens in the Foulds Theatre at the Alliance for the Arts on May 5. Here are the details:

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Alliance Youth Theatre to present six performances of ‘Peter Pan Jr.’ (04-17-17)

Alliance for the Arts Youth Theatre will present six performances of Peter Pan Jr. between April 26 and 30. The performances feature a dual cast with Megan Salerno and Avery King as Peter Pan.

Based on J.M. Barrie’s classic tale, Peter Pan is one of the most beloved and frequently performed family favorites of all time. In this high-flying Tony Award-winning musical, Peter and his mischievous fairy sidekick, Tinkerbell, visit the nursery of the Darling children late one night and, with a sprinkle of pixie dust, begin a magical journey across the stars that none of them will ever forget. In the adventure of a lifetime, the travelers come face to face with a ticking crocodile, a fierce Indian tribe, a band of bungling pirates and, of course, the villainous Captain Hook. Featuring such iconic songs as “I’m Flying,” “I’ve Gotta Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Never Never Land,” and a rousing book full of magic, warmth and adventure, Peter Pan Jr. is the perfect show for the child in all of us … who’ve dreamed of soaring high and never growing up.

Avery King is an eighth grader at Challenger Middle School. She loves musical theater and has been performing on southwest Florida stages since age 6. Her favorite roles include Baby Bear in Shrek, Molly in Annie, Susan in Miracle in 34th Street and now Peter in Peter Pan Jr.

Megan Salerno is a freshman at North Ft. Myers High School and has been in many local productions with City Scenes, Florida Rep and Broadway Palm.

Carmen Crussard directs the production, with music direction by PJ McCready and choreography by Christopher Dean Anderson.

“I believe the arts inspire a sense of purpose in children that follows them as they grow up,” says Crussard. “I understand the importance of math and science and other subjects that promote industry. But the arts promote humanity, kindness, and relationships. This is where kids learn how to be a team player, a problem solver, a collaborator and a good friend.”

Performances are April 26, April 27 and April 30 at 7 pm, April 28 at 8 pm and April 29 at 3 pm and 8 pm. Tickets are $10 presale, $20 for adults, and $15 for students and seniors. For tickets, please visit www.ArtInLee.org or call (239) 939-2787.

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Spotlight on Alliance Youth Theatre Director Carmen Crussard (04-17-17)

Alliance for the Arts Youth Theatre will present six performances of Peter Pan Jr. between April 26 and 30. The performances feature a dual cast with Megan Salerno and Avery King as Peter Pan. Carmen Crussard directs.

Crussard serves as the Youth Theatre Director at the Alliance for the Arts. Her last production in this capacity was Xanadu, Jr. Carmen has also directed for Lab Theater. She just directed Rick Abbot’s Play On! Before that, she directed Scrooge TV: A Modern Christmas Carol and The Second Book of Ruth. Carmen also served as Assistant Director for Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune and participated in Lab Theater’s popular 24-hour Playwriting Project for two consecutive years. Other directorial credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr., Wizard of Oz and The Addams Family.

Crussard is passionate about helping children develop into young actors, directors and stage hands. “I believe the arts inspire a sense of purpose in children that follows them as they grow up,” says Crussard. “I understand the importance of math and science and other subjects that promote industry. But the arts promote humanity, kindness, and relationships. This is where kids learn how to be a team player, a problem solver, a collaborator and a good friend.”

Performances of Peter Pan Jr. are April 26, April 27 and April 30 at 7 pm, April 28 at 8 pm and April 29 at 3 pm and 8 pm. Tickets are $10 presale, $20 for adults, and $15 for students and seniors. For tickets, please visit www.ArtInLee.org or call (239) 939-2787.

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Winners of District 19 Congressional high school art competition announced during ceremony at FSW (04-16-17)

The winners of the District 19 Congressional Artistic Discovery Contest were announced last Wednesday at a reception held in Room J-117/118 in the Rush Library on the Lee campus of Florida SouthWestern State College. Top honors went to 14-year-old Emma Troyer for her mixed media work titled My Florida. Second place was awarded to Raja Al-Bahou for his graphite drawing titled Resurrection. Seventeen year old Deanna Craig received third place for her oil painting depicting a couple enjoying a sunset from the top car on a Ferris Wheel.

Vino’s Picasso owner Mercedes Price, Marco Island’s Blue Mangrove Gallery owner Christie Marcoplos and Matlacha Island and Bealls artist Leoma Lovegrove judged the contest at the invitation of U.S. Representative Francis J. Rooney.

“I appreciate everyone for participating and am glad to know there is such an abundance of talent here in Congressional District 19,” stated Congressman Rooney at the awards ceremony and reception.

“It was very difficult to come up with just three winners because Southwest Florida has an awesome amount of talent, and each of the entries was deserving of recognition,” added Lovegrove on behalf of all three judges. “All three of us admire the efforts of each of the participating artists, and we encourage all of you to continue creating and developing your art. You’re just getting started, and with persistence and tenacity, each of you can enjoy long and successful careers in art and the genre of your choice.

The judges evaluated each entry on the basis of content (creativity & originality), quality (the technical execution of the work) and overall impression. The contest was open to all high school students residing in Congressional District 19.

District 19 Congressional art contest is part of the national Artistic Discovery Contest that the United States House of Representatives holds each Spring. Emma Troyer’s winning artwork will be displayed for an entire year in the U.S. Capitol Tunnels along with artwork from across the country. On top of that, Southwest Airlines is providing Emma with two round-trip tickets to Washington, D.C. so that she and her mother, Kirsten, can attend the reception for the opening of the national exhibit.

Al-Bahou’s graphite drawing and Craig’s Ferris Wheel oil will be exhibited in Congressman Rooney’s Naples and Cape Coral district offices.

The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

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Meet District 19 Congressional art contest winner Emma Troyer (04-16-17)

The winners of the District 19 Congressional Artistic Discovery Contest were announced on Wednesday at a reception held in Room J-117/118 in the Rush Library on the Lee campus of Florida SouthWestern State College. Emma Troyer took top honors for her mixed media piece My Florida.

Emma took a vintage Polaroid camera and snapped a series of shots of locations in Jacksonville Beach and St. Augustine, which she then framed and strung together with tiny globe lights. As you go from frame to frame, a storyline or narrative emerges that is different depending upon the experiences and memories the viewer brings to the installation.

Each of the images inside of the frames demonstrates that Emma has a real feel for composition and subject matter. Unlike today’s digital cameras, Polaroids are unforgiving. What you see is what you get. There’s no Photoshop to adjust the lighting or crop the image.

For as good as Emma is as a neophyte photographer, she gets even bigger props for the imaginative way she presents the photographs. She could have just hung the photos on the wall or a piece of Lucite, but she instead affixed them to a strand of globe lights to underscore that except for people with hyperthymesia (like Marilu Henner and Jill Price who can remember almost every day of their lives in near perfect detail), our memories are a string of high and low lights. Thus, Emma created the perfect metaphor for the way memory works in most of our lives.

“It’s absolutely insane,” said Emma, when asked what she thought about the prospect of having her artwork displayed in the Capitol Tunnel along with work by winners from around the country.

Southwest Airlines is providing Emma with two round-trip tickets to Washington, D.C. so that she and her mother, Kirsten, can attend the reception for the opening of the national exhibit.

“This type of creativity should be recognized and applauded whenever and wherever it appears,” said judge Leoma Lovegrove following the awards ceremony and FSW reception. “What’s truly remarkable here is that this is Emma Troyer’s very first art show. But it won’t be her last.”

One exhibit Emma plans to enter is next year’s Camera USA national photo contest and exhibition sponsored by the Naples Art Association. She’s already arranged for her mother to take her to this year’s show, which will be on display at The von Liebig Art Center June 19-August 6. The top image receives a $5,000 cash prize!

In addition to Lovegrove, the judging panel consisted of Vino’s Picasso owner Mercedes Price and Marco Island’s Blue Mangrove Gallery owner Christie Marcoplos. The trio judged the contest at the invitation of U.S. Representative Francis J. Rooney. The judges evaluated each entry on the basis of content (creativity & originality), quality (the technical execution of the work) and overall impression.

The District 19 Congressional art contest is part of the national Artistic Discovery Contest that the United States House of Representatives holds each Spring. The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

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Meet District 19 Congressional art contest 2nd place winner Raja Al-Bahou (04-16-17)

“At this time, we really need another Renaissance,” proclaimed Al-Bahou, who credits Michelangelo as his inspiration for his time-intensive rendering of Jesus rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. While Michelangelo’s influence is clear to see, the drawing shares attributes from other great painters of yesteryear. It possesses Agnolo Bronzino’s compositional flair, the drama and usage of negative space of Peter Paul Rubens (whose Resurrection of Christ is part of a triptych that is located today in Antwerp) the beatific cherubs favored by Rembrandt van Rijn and Jacopo Veronese, and Paola Tintoretto’s handling of draperies and fabric.

Al-Bahou advocates for a return to classicism in contemporary drawing and painting because it is only there that artists are free to explore the types of emotions that are evident in the faces and demeanors of the cherubs, angels and humans who populate a composition like Resurrection.

“Classical Art is mostly defined by the Renaissance era, a period in the 16th and 17th centuries when painting, sculpture and other art forms took on a refined and structural orderliness,” explains the Portrait and Figure Painters Society of SWFL on the home page of its website. “The use of geometry and grids, rigorous discipline and the formation of schools of art and music was found mostly in the Italian genre. Michelangelo’s works in oil and sculpture, for example, are as exquisitely detailed and emancipating today as they were then.”

Concerned that present-day art schools and programs have abandoned the classics and relegated them mostly to museums and private collections, the Portrait and Figure Painters Society of SWFL offers instructive “art-talk” meetings, forums, workshops, exhibitions, promotions and other outlets for those practicing various forms of traditional art. It is there that Al-Bahou will find artists who share his conviction that the arts would benefit from a return to the style of the Renaissance and painters like Michelangelo.

Resurrection took first place in drawing in ArtFest Fort Myers’ Art Under 20 competition in February. From Damascus, Syria and a student at South Fort Myers High School, Al-Bahou took first place honors in last year’s District 19 Congressional Artistic Discovery Contest with a drawing of the birth of Christ. “With the Resurrection, I’ve come full circle,” Raja said at this year’s awards ceremony.

Al-Bahou’s short term plan is to pursue his two-year degree at Florida SouthWestern State College before going on to UCF to pursue pre-med studies. “But art is my hobby,” Raja is quick to add. “It is always something that I will do.”

We certainly hope so.

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Meet District 19 Congressional art contest 3rd place winner Deanna Craig (04-16-17)

The winners of the District 19 Congressional Artistic Discovery Contest were announced last Wednesday at a reception held in Room J-117/118 in the Rush Library on the Lee campus of Florida SouthWestern State College. Cypress Lake High School junior Deanna Craig received third place for her oil painting depicting a couple enjoying a sunset from the top car on a Ferris Wheel.

The painting is part of a series that Deanna is doing on the motif of fairs and carnivals. In this piece, a couple nestle together in the colorful car of a Ferris Wheel. “I decided to have them looking at a sunset for contrast,” Deanna shares.

The Ferris Wheel dates back to 1893, and was actually the Chicago World Fair’s answer to the Eiffel Tower. Conceived by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., a 33-year-old engineer from Pittsburgh, it measured 250 feet in diameter, carried 36 cars that were each capable of holding 60 people, and was comprised of more than 100,000 parts, most notably an 89,320-pound axle that had to be hoisted onto two towers 140 feet in the air. Launched on June 21, 1893, it was a glorious success. Over the next 19 weeks, more than 1.4 million people paid 50 cents for a 20-minute ride and access to an aerial panorama few had ever beheld. “It is an indescribable sensation,” wrote a reporter named Robert Graves, “that of revolving through such a vast orbit in a bird cage.”

Deanna, though, is not a huge fan of Ferris Wheels. “I don’t handle heights all that well,” she chuckled at the District 19 Congressional art competition awards ceremony and reception. But she is a fan of the fun she and other people have at fairs, midways and carnivals. “Fairs and carnivals have brought me lots of joy throughout my youth and I want to share that with my viewers. That’s why I’m doing a series on carnivals.”

Craig is no stranger to art shows and contests. She has participated in ArtFest’s Art Under 20 for three years and currently has a work in the Future of Art exhibition at the Alliance for the Arts. She has also participated in the Dali Museum’s statewide student surrealist exhibition in 2015. While she plans to study civil engineering at Clemson, she will nonetheless minor in art and pursue art as a hobby.

As third place winner, Deanna’s painting will be displayed in Congressman Rooney’s Cape Coral district office. It was selected for this honor by Vino’s Picasso owner Mercedes Price, Marco Island’s Blue Mangrove Gallery owner Christie Marcoplos and Matlacha Island and Bealls artist Leoma Lovegrove, who judged the contest at the invitation of U.S. Representative Francis J. Rooney. The judges evaluated each entry on the basis of content (creativity & originality), quality (the technical execution of the work) and overall impression. The contest was open to all high school students residing in Congressional District 19. Emma Troyer took top honors, with Raja Al-Bahou in second place.

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Meet 19th Congressional District high school art competition judge Leoma Lovegrove (04-16-17)

Matlacha Island and Bealls’ artist Leoma Lovegrove is one of three judges tapped by newly-elected Representative Francis J. Rooney to judge the high school art competition he recently sponsored in the 19th Congressional District.

Leoma Lovegrove is an impressionist-expressionist and portrait painter known worldwide for her vivid colorful paintings. Leoma is a graduate of Florida’s prestigious Ringling School of Art and makes her home and international headquarters on Matlacha Island. Every year she greets thousands of visitors where Leoma is inspired to paint with endless creativity. She loves the Matlacha Island and is currently the President of the Matlacha Island Chamber of Commerce and promotes tourism to the Sunshine state. In the United States her works are represented in numerous galleries. More recently, Bealls Florida Department Stores is featuring her as their Florida artist under the designer label Leoma Lovegrove complete with her trademark eye glasses. In Atlanta, Georgia, her portrait of Jimmy Carter hangs in his Presidential Library. Her art is in the private collection of the White House in Washington, DC and in President George W. Bush’s Presidential Library in Dallas, Texas. Lovegrove was honored at an artist’s reception in the White House given by First Lady, Laura Bush. Her artwork has also graced the windows at Rockefeller Center in New York City.

You can read more about Leoma on her brand new website. Here’s the link.

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Meet 19th Congressional District high school art competition judge Mercedes Price (04-16-17)

Mercedes Price is one of three judges tapped by newly-elected Representative Francis J. Rooney to judge the high school art competition he recently sponsored in the 19th Congressional District. She owns and operates Vino’s Picasso, which offers fun-filled painting parties for novices and neophytes residing in or visiting Southwest Florida. If you’re not familiar with Mercedes, let Leoma Lovegrove tell you all about her. She has a new website and has profiled her fellow judge. You can read it here.

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Meet 19th Congressional District high school art competition judge Christie Marcoplos (04-16-17)

Christie Marcoplos is one of three judges tapped by newly-elected Representative Francis J. Rooney to judge the high school art competition he recently sponsored in the 19th Congressional District. Christie owns and operates Blue Mangrove Gallery on Marco Island. Leoma Lovegrove has profiled her fellow judge on her brand new website. If you’re not familiar with Christie, you can read her profile here.

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About the Author

Tom Hall is both an amateur artist and aspiring novelist who writes art quest thrillers. He is in the final stages of completing his debut novel titled "Art Detective," a story that fictionalizes the discovery of the fabled billion-dollar Impressionist collection of Parisian art dealer Josse Bernheim-Jeune, thought by many to have perished during World War II when the collection's hiding place, Castle de Rastignac in southern France, was destroyed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal for attacks made by members of the Resistance operating in the area. A former tax attorney, Tom holds a bachelor's degree as well as both a juris doctorate and masters of laws in taxation from the University of Florida. Tom lives in Estero, Florida with his fiancee, Connie, and their four cats.

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