Volume 4 No. 2 |January 14, 2022 |
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Sharing our wealth of arts and culture. We're having an ARTS BLAST!
Promoting The Arts & Arts Councils Everywhere
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ARTS NEWS
& PROFILES
FROM
FLORIDA'S
TREASURE COAST & BEYOND
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Notes from the editor:
I tire of apologizing for things I can't control, but I continue to be in Constant-Contact limbo while they work on (I hope) the technical issues that make - for a second week - creating Arts Blast so frustrating and pretty much impossible to do in any kind of a timely manner. I will post events for the next week on my Facebook pages and keep on plugging away at a full Arts Blast. It's important to re-check on any events you plan to attend. As I was typing this, a notice came from the Sunrise Theatre that Michael Feinstein's appearance this weekend has been postponed until February 27. His Kravis Center Big Band Orchestra concert is still on for next Tuesday. So far. He'll be in Arts Blast closer to the date but you can listen to our conversation on the Arts Blast on the Air Podcast this week.
In case you think I'm just whining for sympathy, I'm pasting in a screenshot of what has been popping up every few minutes — literally — for the past ten days while I'm trying to produce an Arts Blast.
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A Riverside Update
Vero Beach Choral Society Seeks Singers
Studio Theatre Debuts at Vero Beach Theatre Guild
Rosalie Hume at Sebastian River Art Club
Mosaics Coming to Stuart!
Chataqua South
And All That Jazz
SLC Alliance Public Art
TIDBITS
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Sad News from Riverside Theatre |
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Riverside Theatre, led by Producing Artistic Director/CEO Allen D. Cornell and Managing Director/COO Jon R. Moses, regrettably announce a PAUSE in the 2021-2022 Season and the cancellation of a few professional productions over the next couple of months.
Because of the easily transmissible variant, and the Actors’ Union rigorous COVID testing requirements, more and more actors, musicians and crew are testing positive. That, of course, means that the affected individuals must quarantine for 5 or more days, which means the Theatre can’t know from one day to the next if the show can go on.
As consistency and quality of product are paramount, the day-to-day unknowns are simply impossible to manage, especially for multiple productions. As such, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees has decided to cancel the remaining performances of Carousel and the upcoming productions of A Comedy of Tenors, On Your Feet, Bakersfield Mist and Billy Elliot.
The Theatre fully expects the production of Almost Heaven to take place as announced in May 10-29, 2022.
Over the next few weeks of January and February, the casts of A Comedy of Tenors, On Your Feet, Bakersfield Mist, and Billy Elliot would have arrived on campus to begin rehearsals and performances. The complexities of having multiple casts in close proximity during this particular time seemed problematic.
Riverside Theatre regrets these cancellations and appreciates our patron’s loyalty and understanding.
Full refunds to ALL ticket holders for the mentioned show tickets will be issued and no further action is required while the Box Office staff diligently works to reverse the thousands of ticket transactions. Please allow 4-6 weeks for checks to be processed and mailed to each patron.
PLEASE NOTE: All lectures as part of the Distinguished Lecturer Series and special events sponsored by the Friends Committee of Riverside Theatre (The Gala) will continue as scheduled.
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The Vero Beach Choral Society, Indian River County's audition-only professional choral group, is holding open auditions for singers. The vocal ensemble has been in existence since 1984 and has performed in some amazing venues, including Carnegie Hall! Anyone who can read music and has experience singing in a vocal ensemble is welcome to audition. Just visit the group’s website, www.VeroBeachChoralSociety.org, and click on “Audition” to apply.
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Riverside Theatre’s Distinguished Lecturer Series, opening the season January 17, had its beginning when co-chairs Debbi Peniston and Frannie Atchison became acquainted at John’s Island in the late 1990s. Peniston had recently retired from Citibank in New York City and was eager to pick up on Atchison’s idea to start a speakers series outside of the JI gates. They were joined by Jimmy Field, head of the local office of Fleet Bank, and success followed.
“Our concept was to be a fundraiser for Riverside Theatre and from the beginning we have worked closely with them to augment their presentation of plays and musicals with speakers representing a variety of disciplines including foreign relations, economics, politics, technology, and miscellaneous areas such as health care and education,” Peniston said. They knew it would take more than the three of them to bring their vision to fruition, so a committee was formed to assist and support their efforts. “The DLS Committee has been incredibly important over the years, helping DLS and the Theatre with resources, contacts, logistics, and a wide variety of support.”
Planning for the annual series begins a year in advance, with the committee always conscious of the prominence of potential speakers, Riverside ’s availability, and, of course, expense. “Interestingly,” Peniston said, “some of our least expensive and well known speakers have been the most outstanding. For example, we had Fareed Zakaria before he was well known or had his own television show.”
The series wasn’t safe from the Covid challenges of last year. “We had to cancel our 2021 season, although we were fortunate to be able to reschedule our four speakers for 2022. We are already hard at work on our speakers for 2023 and hopefully by then we will have Covid in the rear view mirror.”
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The Distinguished Lecturer Series season begins January 17 at Riverside Theatre with The Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2016-2019)
Theresa May served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019, during an extraordinary time in global affairs. She is currently the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead — a position she’s held for over two decades.
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Sebastian River Art Club Celebrates Rosalee Hume |
The Sebastian River Art Club, will be celebrating its 85th Anniversary on January 22nd, 2022.
The celebration will be kicked off with an auction of one of SRAC's Founding Members, Rosalee Hume's Bronze Sculptures of Seminole Warriors. The Auction will be conducted by Ron Rennick Auctions and Galleries of Vero Beach. Each Bronze is accompanied with a book describing Rosalee’s experiences with the Seminole Indians and the stories of those she memorialized in Bronze. Also included in the auction are some of Rosalee’s original oil paintings. Light Refreshments will be served
Locally, Rosalee (a lifelong resident of Sebastian) is most famous for her life-size bronze statue of Paul Kroegel with his Pelicans, that graces Sebastian’s waterfront along the river. The first employee of the National Refuge System, Paul Kroegel, a Sebastian resident, fought to stop the slaughter of Brown pelicans in the Indian River Lagoon. His efforts convinced Theodore Roosevelt to designate Pelican Island as our nation's first wildlife refuge in 1903.
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Sebastian River Art Club President, Donna Ware, will be giving a presentation on these bronzes at the North County Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian, on Wednesday, January 19th at 6pm. During the presentation, a select number of these bronze statues will be available for viewing, along with the individual stories written by Ms. Hume.
The Statues and several of Rosalee’s oil paintings will be up for Auction on Saturday, January 22nd from 3-5pm. ( Early viewing starts at 2:30). The Auction will be held at the Sebastian River Art Club’s Gallery at 1245 Main Street, Sebastian, FL 32958. For more information contact the art club via email at SRACclub@gmail.com.
A portion of all proceeds from the sales of the bronze statues goes toward the Sebastian River Art Club’s Rosalee Taylor Hume Scholarship Fund
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St. Lucie Cultural Alliance Public Art |
The St. Lucie Cultural Alliance continues to transform the St. Lucie County public buildings into beautiful galleries with art for sale by local artists of the Cultural Alliance Art Guild. Celebrating Us is the inaugural juried exhibition that opens at the St. Lucie County Administration Building on Jan 27, 2022, at 5:30 PM.
Displayed on the 2nd Floor in the St. Lucie County Planning and Development Services Department of the County Administration Building, the grand opening celebration will keep the building open to the public after hours with a wine reception. Hor d'oeuvres are sponsored by True Roots Catering, a member of St. Lucie County's Sunshine Kitchen. In this state-of-the-art food incubator, chefs, caterers, and food truck operators can hone their culinary skills and build their businesses.
"When developers, planners, and builders stop by the county building, we want them to see this exhibition and recognize the ever-growing talent in the County and St. Lucie County's investment in our prolific cultural community," says County Commission Chairman Sean Mitchell. "What better way to welcome people to St. Lucie County than with a gift of locally-made artwork from one of the Cultural Alliance's talented artists."
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Cancellations & Postponements |
From Community Church of Vero Beach:
Harvard Glee Club has cancelled all of their tours for this season. We hope to invite them back another time.
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From the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival folks:
It is with a heavy heart that we are informing you that the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival will be canceled for 2022. It was a difficult decision. But we want to ensure that our guests are safe and with Covid exploding in our community the way that it is, we can’t provide an atmosphere in which we are confident that our guests will be safe.
We deeply appreciate the fact that you were willing to support our event this year. Depending on the condition of Covid, we hope to come back strong next year with one of the very best birding and wildlife festivals in the Nation. We hope you will consider joining us.
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The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery announces the postponement of the “Sunday in Key West” Luncheon & Auction event, which was scheduled for Sunday, January 30 at the Pelican Yacht Club. The Board of Directors and staff made the difficult decision with the utmost concern for the Museum’s supporters gathering in a large group setting, during a time when the Coronavirus numbers are growing again in the community. We hope to reschedule at a later date when it is safe to do so. Please watch for future announcements to celebrate the return of this favorite event.
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The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts has announced that The Cleveland Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra have canceled this month’s scheduled tour to SOUTH Florida due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.
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If it's winter in Brevard, it means two extra cool nights of finger-snapping jazz with the Melbourne Community Orchestra. The 2022 offering, Welcome to the Blue Note, gets underway at 7:30 PM on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, January 26 and 27 at the Melbourne Auditorium at 625 Hibiscus Boulevard, 32901. Admission is free, with no tickets required. The Welcome to the Blue Note concerts will feature a hit parade of more than 25 jazz and big band standards arranged for orchestra, including a medley of top hits from the 40's: A Salute to the Big Bands. Doors open at 6:30 PM for best seating. Call 321-285-6724 or visit MCOrchestra.org for more information about Welcome to the Blue Note or to sign up for concert alerts.
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St. Lucie Cultural Alliance is thrilled to launch of the Alliance Musical Series. In a partnership with the Alliance outstanding business member 500 Orange Event Center, the series features the best local, nationally-renowned musicians, bringing the feel of a New York jazz club to Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County.
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TREASURE COAST JAZZ IS BACK IN THE SWING
For more information: Call the Jazz Society 772-234-4600 or visit the NEW website TCjazz.org
Jazz takes off in Vero Beach this winter season with five concerts sponsored by the Treasure Coast Jazz Society.and held at the Vero Beach Yacht Club, the concerts star nationally-known jazz musicians, many of whom have played for the Society in Vero in years past. The Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1985 to promote jazz as a unique American art form, and provide scholarships to local high school music students
A buffet Lunch will be available at 11:30 am for $20, followed by the concerts at 12:30 pm. Tickets are $40 for Society members and $45 for non-members.
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From Ballet Vero Beach:
Program 1 Franco-American will include Matthew Lovegood's French Songs and Adam Schnell's Pavane, plus Schnell's Ballade (making its long awaited Main Stage debut) and Camilo A. Rodriguez in his self choreographed tour de force solo An Afternoon in the Paddock.
We are continuing to monitor all safety protocols and expect to continue to exhibit the same standards for safety our audiences, artists, and community have come to expect from us.
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Chautauqua South - Martin County Library System
Martin County has long benefited from active and forward-thinking support groups involved with the Martin County Library System.
Thank you to Richard Reilly, deputy library director, for contributing this story:
The Chautauqua South series helps us focus our vision to “inform and inspire everyone.” Both The Library Foundation of Martin County, Inc. and the Friends of the Martin County Library System, Inc. fund Chautauqua South events along with BookMania! and the Elisabeth Lahti Concert Series.
According to A History of the Martin County Library System, Chautauqua South was created in the fall of 1991 and had its first event in February 1992. “The slogan ‘Arts and Education Programs Celebrating the Harvest of the Mind, Body and Spirit’ was chosen to describe the purpose of Chautauqua South” (https://www.martin.fl.us/resources/history-of-the-martin-county-library-system-pdf p. 37). Here is an excerpt from page 36 with the story of its creation:
In an effort to familiarize the community with its growing resources, the library determined to establish a structured series of programs to complement and highlight the collection. Judi Snyder, currently Associate Director of Public Services, had started working at the library in 1979. She was always looking for new ways to bring people into the library. If they came to watch a film or hear a speaker, Ms. Snyder hoped that they might check out a book or join the Friends of the Library group. She and library trustee Nina Taylor organized a committee of volunteers including Edie Donohue, Luann Justak and Beverly Bevis Jones. One of the committee’s first decisions was to agree upon a name for the program series. The term “Chautauqua” seemed appropriate. It is derived from the name of a village in southwestern New York State which became known as a summer educational center. In the early 1900s traveling Chautauqua groups toured rural America bringing speakers, musical groups, and other cultural activities to Small Town, U.S.A. Committee member Beverly Bevis Jones suggested that “south” be added to Chautauqua to emphasize the southern connection.
The Chautauqua South events were held in Downtown Stuart at the Lyric Theatre until 1999 when the Blake Library opened with the John F. & Rita M. Armstrong Wing auditorium. This 250-seat facility became too small for BookMania! audiences and we moved the event to the Jensen Beach High School Performing Arts Center in 2011. Chautauqua South events are still presented in the John F. & Rita M. Armstrong Wing or other large meeting rooms throughout the Martin County Library System.
Library Events Assistant Susan Opasik has been booking Chautauqua South humanities events for decades and helps create a list of performers and presenters. This list is finalized by Darlene Encomio, our Literacy Education & Outreach Manager. We strive to provide programs to align with our audiences, community demographics, and interests. With just over half of our patrons over the age of 50, many of these events are for an adult or retiree audience. We do plan events on evenings and weekends that appeal to young families and working adults.
I started working with the library in December of 2005 and was amazed by the Chautauqua South program. It included some of my social science professors from Indian River Community College – now a State College. Over the years, we had renowned lecturers and performers from classic pianist Peter Pertis, to comedic musicians the Arrogant Worms, historical reenactments of Benjamin Franklin and so much more.
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Note: Vero Beach Museum of Art is closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
The Creek District is working with the City of Stuart to bring new mosaic artwork to the sidewalks of the district. There will be several mosaics installed in the area, and YOU have an opportunity to be directly involved in the selection of the artwork — or maybe you’d like to create a sidewalk mosaic yourself! The first two mosaics, created by program directors Diane Concepcion and Corina Pelloni, are scheduled for installation early 2022. But we need more designs from people like you! This program is a fantastic way to learn the art of mosaic and to contribute public art to The Creek District! The first contest for design concepts opens today! Please visit thecreekdistrict.org for more information. Mosaics for the People!
Have questions about The Creek District's new Sidewalk Mosaic Program? Ask away THIS SATURDAY January 15! Diane and Corina will answer all your questions. Stop by any time between 10AM–2PM!
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Vero Beach Theatre Guild's New Studio Theatre
The Studio Theater at the Vero Beach Theatre Guild makes its debut this New Year! Opening an all-new contemporary style space is the one-man tour de force comedy, Buyer & Cellar. This irreverent work of fiction, opening Sunday January 16th, chronicles the story of a struggling gay actor in Los Angeles who gets the oddest of odd jobs working in the basement of the beloved mega superstar Barbra (sic) Streisand.
After only meeting Barbra (sic) once, playwright Jonathan Tolins concocted this hilarious tale which opened in 2013 before being transferred to Off-Broadway just two months later. The show went on to be named “Best Unique Theatrical Experience” by the Off-Broadway Alliance, and winning the 2014–2015 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show.
Typically set in a living room environment, Director Lisa Keeler had a different idea for the space. Whitewashed brick and neon signs, designed and created by the Guild’s resident Design Director Jeff Hall and his volunteer scene shop crew of Foreman Gerry Quimbly, Joe Jones, and Russ Sabac, give the intimate space a hole in the wall comedy club vibe. Modern neutrals and sleek designs ground you in the present, while the thrust stage provides a play space for the star storyteller Alex More, played by Theatre Guild veteran Ben Earman, presents a piece that creates the illusion of a stage full of people, all with their own point of view.
Performances run Sundays, January 16 through March 27 at 7:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased in person or phoning the box office Mondays through Fridays from 10am to 2pm, 772.562.8300 or online. Please be advised this production contains mature themes and language that some may find objectionable and is not recommended for those under 18. Covid seating is unavailable in the Studio Theater. For tickets and complete information please visit verobeachtheatreguild.com.
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If you weren't able to see the Christmas Celebration at First Presbyterian Church in person last week, here's the YouTube link to enjoy it now. And enjoyment doesn't begin to describe the feeling I and others I've talked to had while watching Jacob Craig conducting a huge collection of the best musicians the area has to offer: the First Presbyterian Chancel Choir in collaboration with singers from The Vero Beach Choral Society, Sebastian River High School Choirs, Vero Beach High School Choirs, Indian River Charter High School Choir, the First Pres Youth String Orchestra joined by the FPC Youth Winds and Percussion ensemble. Think goosebumps.
And if you haven't listened to the special holiday Arts Blast on the Air, pour a cup of something nice and kick back for 25 minutes. We have so much wonderful, generous local talent! And what fun it was to put it together. |
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Have you discovered Arts Blast on the Air yet?
It isn't a spoken version of Willi Miller's Arts Blast. The weekly podcast and radio show offers interviews with people active in the arts locally, regionally, and nationally. The addition of an early-release downloadable podcast is an exciting step for Willi Miller's Arts Blast and it would not be possible without our great sponsors, Riverside Theatre and Ballet Vero Beach, collaborator Donna Roberts Mitchell, and our tech guy, Jesse Kriske. Thanks for listening! CATCH THE PODCAST ONLINE. For information on advertising in Arts Blast on the Air, contact Donna.
THIS WEEK:
Adam Schnell - Ballet Vero Beach has a new season!
Kate Johnson and Jeanette Mazzella - The Barn Theatre
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Bookmark On the Calendar at WilliMiller.com for frequent updates. Calls for Artists, Auditions, & Volunteers are now online.
Catch up with events at Willi Miller's Arts Blast on Facebook and pick up some laughs and interesting info on the Willi Miller's Arts Blast Extras page. And now there's a Facebook Arts Blast on the Air!
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To opt out of receiving Arts Blast, "unsubscribe" at the end of the page. |
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🎨 As 2021 and the third year of Arts Blast come to a close, I hope to carve out time to get back to my own art studio. To make it work, I will be liquidating tools, supplies, and books for a variety of arts interests I've enjoyed over the years. I'm picking out a few favorites to keep but it's someone else's turn on others. A few categories: Lapidary equipment and tons of slabs and rough; lamp work; stained glass; gourds galore; metalwork; clay; enameling; wood carving; encaustics; painting; tons of books and magazines. Maybe not the enameling or wood carving. Or painting. 🤔 And I'll keep a few gourds.🙄 Oh, this is tough!
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Plan your season with Arts Blast's calendar
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If you have an arts-related event coming up, scroll down for information on submitting it for a free basic listing. Limited advertising is available. PLEASE use that format!
Arts Blast wants information about arts-related scholarships for the Scholarships page on our website. Send me what you have, making sure to include a deadline for applying and a link to detailed information.
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Event schedules can change, often at almost the last minute. Verify, double check, and then do it again before you head out the door. And when you do go out, take a mask. Without one, you risk being turned away. |
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Use this format for Calendar entries:
Who (organization)
What (Event)
When (dates, time)
Where (Name of venue, address)
Why (a brief description of the purpose)
Web/Facebook address
Contact for public use (for tickets, questions, etc.)
Then add a short, descriptive release if available.
Send only one photo, with caption, unless more are requested.
Media contact with email for Arts Blast followup (not for publication)
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Copyright ©2019-2021 Willi Miller's ARTS BLAST!, all rights reserved.
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