Eugene O'Neill Theater Ceneter Receives National Medal of Arts

Shoreline Arts Alliance is pleased and proud to share the news that the White House has just announced the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will receive the 2015 National Medal of Arts! Their Executive Director Preston Whiteway will join The O'Neill Board Chairman Tom Viertel and Founders George and Betsy White to accept the award from President Obama on Thursday, September 22 in a special White House ceremony. The event will be live streamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live. Rarely has an American theater and educational institution received such an honor on a national platform. In sharing this news the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center says, "You're a vital part of our family - the community that makes us who were are, and our work possible."

President Barack Obama will present the 2015 National Medals of Arts in conjunction with the National Humanities Medals on Thursday, September 22, 2016, in the morning in an East Room ceremony at the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama will attend. The event will be live streamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “These National Medal of Arts recipients have helped to define our nation’s cultural legacy through the artistic excellence of their creative traditions, and I join the President in congratulating and thanking them for their contributions.”

The O’Neil is the only organization in the country with the National Medal and two Tonys.  And only the fourth theater to receive this in history. Preston Whiteway, the O’Neil’s Executive Director will be accepting the medal from the President next Thursday.

The full list of honorees can be found here: https://www.arts.gov/news/2016/president-obama-award-national-medals-arts

Congratulations to the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center on this prestigious award and for sharing the gift of theater with so many! 

About the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center

Founded in 1964 by George C. White, in honor of America's only Nobel Prize-winning playwright. 

The O'Neill is home to the National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, National Puppetry Conference, Cabaret & Performance Conference, National Theater Institute, and National Critics Institute. 

Writers and directors, puppeteers and singers, students and audiences alike take their first steps in exploring, revising and understanding their work and the potential of the theater they help create.

All focus on the script, as it begins its journey to the stage.  Actors work with simply rendered sets, no costume design, and script in hand, revealing for the first time the magic of a new play or musical, puppetry piece or cabaret act.  

Work first performed at the O'Neill has gone on to regional theaters, Broadway, film, and television.  Students and professionals who have honed their skills at the O'Neill can be seen in these venues every day across the nation and world.  Others work behind the scenes as playwrights, directors, in stage management, publicity and a hundred other roles that the public never sees but are nonetheless essential to every production.

Collomore Concerts Open With Verona Quartet

On Sunday, September 25 at 5pm in the Chester Meeting House Collormore Concerts will launch its 43rd season of bringing quality performances to Connecticut. This opening concerts is the annual Barbara and Edmund Delaney Young Artists Concert. For more information or to purchase tickets click here.

The Verona Quartet was formed at Indiana University in 2013. Hailing from the USA, Canada and Singapore, they were the first Indiana Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence, which afforded them the opportunity to be mentored by the Pacifica Quartet. Winning top prizes in numerous prestigious international string quartet competitions such as the 2015 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh, the London International and the Osaka International Chamber Music Competitions has led to their performances on four continents.

In addition to their Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall debut in 2016 under the auspices of the Juilliard School, they have performed at notable venues such as London’s Wigmore Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington and the Melbourne Recital Hall in Australia.

The Verona is currently the Graduate Resident String Quartet at the Juilliard School, where they work closely with members of the Juilliard String Quartet and teach during Juilliard’s academic year. They have also served as visiting artists and teachers at leading international institutions for music education including the Beethoven-Haus (Bonn, Germany), New York University-Abu Dhabi and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

Their strong passion for community engagement and education led them to establish a relationship with the city of Danville, Illinois, where from 2013 to 2015 they curated a concert series and gave outreach performances and master classes across elementary, middle and high schools, resulting in an increase in public school music class enrollment to almost double the average of the State of Illinois.

In less than three years, the Verona Quartet have established themselves as one of the most compelling young quartets in chamber music. The quartet consists of: Jonathan Ong-violin, Dorothy Ro-violin, Abigail Rojansky-viola and Warren Hagery-cello.

Chester native Robbie Collomore owned Chester’s local soda shop/general store. Located on Main Street in the center of Chester where the River Tavern is now, the soda fountain and the man behind its counter were often at the center of Chester life. You went there in the morning for your coffee and fresh gossip, and the Little League went there in the afternoon for celebratory ice cream cones.

Robbie was determined to help refresh another center of Chester life, the Old Meeting House, which dated back to the 1790s but had lost a lot of its fizz by the 1960s. He dreamed of restoring the building to its former glory days when chamber music concerts, barbershop quartets and even a visit from P.T. Barnum’s Tom Thumb brought refreshing entertainment to the town. Always upbeat, Robbie started drumming up plans to bring back musical events to the small building with the big acoustics. Robbie convinced Burton Cornwall, a New York City singer and noted voice teacher retired in Chester, to put on a concert to help raise funds to repair the Old Meeting House.

The proceeds of that 1961 concert featuring Burton Cornwall and friends was the cornerstone of a Chester Meeting House Cultural Series he and Robbie helped establish when they became founding members of the Chester Historical Society in 1970. The Cultural Series’ first musical concert in 1974 featured The Singing Editors.

Robbie Collomore’s dream for a refurbished Meeting House came true, and when he died in 1975, the Music Series was named in his honor. Burton Cornwall carried on Robbie’s dream, heading the series for five years, and endowing it as part of his estate when he died in 1980. Chester cultural stalwart Joan Matz carried on Robbie’s dream, leading the series for the next 20 years.

Madison Lyric Stage presents Aaron and Lenny

Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein were two of the most creative and innovative American musicians of the late 20th century ... and they were lifelong friends who corresponded frequently. Join Madison Lyric Stage (MLS) for a concert celebration of this friendship as shown in their letters and their amazing music. 

The production features MLS favorites Carly Callahan, John Johmann, Marc Deaton, and pianist Eric Trudel.

Because of the desire to reach a broader audience, MLS hasrecently moved their events to a new venue, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Guilford, 49 Park Street, on the Historic Guilford Green. "The acoustics of this beautiful space allow us to bloom!" says Artistic Director Marc Deaton.

Performances are  Friday & Saturday, September 23 & 24 at 7 PM, and Sunday, September 25 at 4 PM.

For more information & reservations ...

Oddfellows Playhouse Announces Fall Classes and 2016-17 Productions

 

 

Oddfellows Playhouse launches its 41st season. Registration is open now

for fall youth theater classes, circus training and play productions. Materials can be found at www.oddfellows.org, by calling (860)347-6143, and at our playhouse: 128 Washington St, Middletown, CT.

The season kicks off with an open house from 10 am to 1 pm on Saturday, September 10. The open house offers students and families an opportunity to meet Playhouse teaching artists and staff. The day will include arts activities, refreshments, tours of the playhouse, and fun and games for all.

For the 2016-17 season, Oddfellows Jr. & Teen Companies will produce four main-stage shows. The Jr. Company (open to students in grades 5 – 8th) will present The Hobbit, adapted by Patricia Gray and directed by Hannah Simms. All students who register are cast in a speaking role. Rehearsals for this production start October 5th and Middletown Public School students can take the bus to the Playhouse after school for classes and rehearsals.

The Teen Company (open to students in grades 9th-12th) will begin the season with a six-week Open Ensemble session to create an original Halloween performance. In November, auditions begin for Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Both projects will be directed by Kim West.

The spring will feature two contemporary plays: Anon(ymous), written by Naomi Iizuka, and Einstein’s Brains by Philip Dawkins. Students involved in the Jr. & Teen Companies have opportunities to work back-stage and participate in community projects at the Playhouse throughout the year. The Jr. & Teen Companies are supportive, creative, and welcoming groups where kids build skills, discover talents, and form friendships while they meet the challenges inherent in making live theater.

“Our season theme, SEEKING HOME gives artists, students and our audiences a frame to view the plays. Questions of home, of safety and of who decides who is allowed to find refuge are woven in different ways throughout this year’s material and will guide our discussions and approaches to these four plays,” said Artistic Director, Kristen Palmer.

Fall after-school and Saturday classes in theater and circus arts will run for 12 weeks from September 19 to December 17. After-school classes are from 4:30 – 5:30pm. Middletown Public School students have the option of taking a school bus to the Playhouse for a snack and supervised free-time before their classes or Jr. Company rehearsals. Read more

At the Playhouse, professional teaching artists lead engaging programs that build confidence, creativity and collaboration by getting every student actively involved in artistic self-expression. Students work together and learn to support one another. Oddfellows programs are inclusive, embracing children from all backgrounds and circumstances and creating a safe space where all students can grow together in a mutually supportive setting. Oddfellows currently serves nearly 1400 students through its programs annually.

 

In partnership with ARTFARM, advanced circus training is available through Circophony. Training for aspiring circus performers is offered year round and open to all interested students ages12 – 19. In January, students are invited to audition for the touring company. The touring company creates and performs an exciting new show that will tour to schools, clubs, fairs, corporate events, and festivals.

 

Online registration is available for all classes and productions through the Playhouse’s website, www.oddfellows.org. The website also offers online payment for classes, financial aid and scholarship information, and online ticket sales. Full scholarships are available for any student receiving free or reduced school lunch. Contact: www.oddfellows.org, info@oddfellows.org, (860)347-6143.

 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/oddfellowsplayhouse

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/OddfellowsPlay

INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/oddfellowsplayhouse

The 2016 New England Landscape Invitational

Thomas Adkins, Late Winter McGoldrick Farm, oil on linen

The Lyme Art Association, at 90 Lyme Street, Old Lyme Connecticut, will present the 2016 New England Landscape Invitational Exhibition, on view from September 2 through November 18, 2016, with an opening reception on Friday, September 9, from 5 - 7 pm. Works by the Society of Connecticut Sculptors will also be on display throughout the gallery.
 
“The 2016 New England Landscape Invitational focuses on the subject that inspired our founders, the Lyme Impressionists,” stated LAA’s Gallery Manager, Jocelyn Zallinger. “Each year we welcome a number of celebrated landscape artists to participate in this exhibition with our member artists, always making this a competitive and impressive show. Among the artists invited to participate this year are John Traynor, Neal Hughes and Thomas Adkins. Come visit us in our historic galleries and enjoy this highly anticipated exhibition.”
 
All exhibited work is for sale with a portion of proceeds benefitting the Lyme Art Association. From 5 pm on September 9 to 5pm on September 10, artwork may be purchased tax-free.  

The Lyme Art Association was founded in 1914 by the American Impressionists and continues the tradition of exhibiting and selling representational artwork by its members and invited artists, as well as offering art instruction and lectures to the community. The Lyme Art Association is located at 90 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, in a building designed by Charles Adams Platt and located within the town’s historic district. Admission is free with contributions appreciated. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 to 5 pm, or by appointment. For more information on exhibitions, purchase of art, art classes, or becoming a member, call 860-434-7802 or visit www.lymeartassociation.org

Shoreline Soul Kids Registration Form

2016-2017 “SHORELINE SOUL - KIDS!” REGISTRATION FORM

Grades 4-8

I AM REGISTERING FOR:

(Please check which applies)    BRANFORD: ­­­­_____  MADISON:_____

Name:______________________________________________________

Address:____________________________________________________

City/State/Zip:________________________________________________

Telephone: (Preferred) ________________(Alternate)_______________

Email (Please print CLEARLY):_________________________________

Grade:_____

If you are registering more than one person, please provide this information for each.

If you are registering by phone and get voice-mail, please provide the above information.

Make checks payable to Shoreline Soul and send to Shoreline Soul, 54 Ken Rose Terrace, Westbrook, CT  06498

No refunds after workshop begins. Credit towards a future workshop.

Shoreline Soul Kids! New This Fall

Angela Clemmons is thrilled to announce the start of “Shoreline Soul - Kids!”  This workshop is open to youth in grades 4-8 who want to “stretch” their music experience. They will be encouraged to sing with uninhibited joy - and in a way that is supportive of the group as a whole.  As the daughter of a Pentecostal preacher, Angela fell in love with gospel music as a child and that love has only deepened over the years. The majority of her professional singing peers share that same story. The songs chosen will be for the purpose of uplifting and inspiring our youngsters to sing as never before. 

Two identical “Shoreline Soul - Kids!” workshops will be offered in Branford and Madison. The five, 90-minute sessions will be focused and fun, culminating in three performances! Two in Madison; one in Branford.  Below are the details:

BRANFORD WORKSHOP SESSIONS

(5th session is a combined Rehearsal in Madison)

There will be four consecutive Monday sessions on September 12, 19, 26 and October 3, 2016 at the Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church, 45 Tabor Drive, Branford. The 5th and final session will be a combined rehearsal with the Madison singers on December 5 at the First Congregational Church (on the town green), 26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison. All sessions are from 4:30-6:00PM

MADISON WORKSHOP SESSIONS

There will be five Monday sessions, October 24, (skip Halloween), November 7, 14, 21, (skip Thanksgiving Monday), and December 5, 2016.  December 5th will be a combined rehearsal with the Branford singers. All sessions are from 4:30 - 6:00PM at the First Congregational Church (on the town green), 26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison. 

We do need a minimum of 25 children by September 6th. If we get that, great! If we don’t, you will be notified and registration checks will be returned. Please forward this letter to anyone you think might be interested in participating in “Shoreline Soul - Kids!”  

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Registration is only complete when payment has been received or a scholarship has been arranged.

Click here for registration form. You may begin your registration by e-mail:  Complete either the attached registration form or the form below and e-mail it back to me.

By telephone:  203-619-1415       

Or register by snail mail:  See mailing address on registration form.

Registration fee: $130.00

Early Registration for Branford:  IF PAID by 9/6:  $120.00

Early Registration fee for Madison:  IF PAID by 10/10: $120.00

“Shoreline Soul” Shirt included (to be worn for performances)
Work CD included     Some Scholarships available. Read more.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE - (BRANFORD & MADISON COMBINED)

Performance #1:  Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 3PM

Pre-concert Rehearsal at 2:00PM

First Congregational Church (on the town green), Madison, CT

Performance #1 Description: The “Shoreline Soul” Gospel Holiday Concert features singers, mainly adults, who participate in a 5-week gospel workshop. This adult workshop culminates in a fun, super-spirited concert that is usually standing-room-only. “Shoreline Soul-Kids!” will make their debut performance at this concert by singing 2-3 songs, one of which may be performed with the adult choir. The concert is free, open to the public, and is usually over before 4:30pm.

Performance #2:   Sunday, December 18, 2016 at 3:00PM 

Pre-concert Rehearsal at 1:30

First Congregational Church (on the town green), Madison, CT

Performance #2 Description:  This is a big day for “Shoreline Soul - Kids!” They will perform a full concert of their songs. The concert is free and open to the public.

Performance #3:   Sunday, January 15, 2017 at 3:00PM   

Pre-concert Rehearsal at 2:00PM

Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church, Branford

Performance #3 Description:  Similar to Performance #1, this “Shoreline Soul” concert features singers, mainly adults, who participate in a 5-week gospel workshop that culminates in an uplifting concert honoring the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Shoreline Soul-Kids!” will reunite at this concert for their final performance. They’ll do 2-3 songs, one of which will be performed with the adult choir. The concert is free, open to the public, and is usually over before 4:30pm.