Making the Arts a Part of Your New Year
Though it seems belated at best to wish you gentle readers a Happy New Year, I do hope this finds all of you well, healthy, happy and enjoying what has been termed “the bleak mid-winter” here at the beach. There is much to be enjoyed around town, even at this time of year! I have made all of you a resolution, which you are required to keep, and I’ll hear no complaints. You will attend at least three arts-related events per month this year. Please don’t make me hunt you down. All locations are Rehoboth Beach, unless otherwise noted.
THEATRE
Clear Space Theatre Company (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-2270; ClearSpaceTheatre.org) Sussex County’s only year-round professional troupe has a lot going on. Dirty Blonde—a play with music about the life of Mae West—February 3-13. Tickets: $5-$25. The Cashore Marionettes—a “don’t miss” guest artist!—February 19, Simple Gifts at 3 p.m and Life in Motion at 7 p.m. $10-$30. Choreography for the Stage a lecture by Clear Space Executive Director, Ken Skrzesz on Monday, February 21 at 10 a.m. $15—includes lecture, bagel and coffee. The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra—Scott Joplin and the Original Kings of Ragtime—11-piece ensemble featuring music by Joplin, John Philip Sousa, George M. Cohan and more! March 5 at 7 p.m. and March 6 at 3 p.m. $10-$30. Paragon director, Rick Benjamin hosts a lecture on The Rise of Ragtime—Saturday, March 5 at 1 p.m. Tickets available for all performances online or at the box office.
Possum Point Players (441 Old Laurel Road in Georgetown; 302-856-4560; possumpointplayers.org) presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee—a musical about six quirky teenagers vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime—in a dinner theatre format. February 4-6. Directed by Jim Hartzell. Dinner and show: $40; Show only: $20. Coming in late March is the drama Doubt.
Second Street Players (2 South Walnut Street in Milford; 302-422-0220; secondstreetplayers.com) brings Thornton Wilder’s classic drama Our Town to their stage from February 11-20. Directed by Jeff Haslow. Tickets: $17
ART GALLERIES and MUSEUMS
Galleries marked with an asterisk (*) are members of The Rehoboth Gallery Collective, MOSAIC (mosaicrehoboth.com). Please check the website for specific gallery events, and join participating galleries for Second Saturdays: Destination Art Walk, February 12 from 2-5 p.m.
*AerieArt Gallery (45½ Lake Avenue; 302-227-5376/302-584-6402; rehoboth.com/aerieart) features Winter Warmth,—a display of fine art from the 19th Century to the present, designed to counteract the cold weather blues.
Artworx19971 (20 Baltimore Avenue at The Celebration Mall) features quality, original art by Rehoboth Beach area artists at affordable prices. The collective is owned, operated and staffed by eight local artists. Stop by the studios and visit with an artist and view the constantly changing displays and works in progress.
*Gallery 50 (50-A Wilmington Avenue; 302-227-2050; 50contemporaryart.com) offers revolving group exhibitions through May. Check their website for other events at the gallery.
*Heidi Lowe Gallery (328 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-227-9203; heidilowegallery@gmail.com) wants you to know that looking at great custom jewelry counts as “arts-related” when keeping your resolutions!
*Juleez (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-3792; juleez.com) features the unique and vibrant works of Julie Borden including hand painted cellos, violins and miniature pianos and new original sculptures created by Mary Ann Borden.
Packard Reath Gallery (Located in The Hotel Rodney -142 Second Street; Lewes; 302-644-7513; packardreathgallery.com) Specializing in Fine Art Photography.
*Paintiques (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-258-4203) offers Sherry Biele’s unique and artfully-painted vintage furniture and accessories as well as glass art by Connie Ballato; Silver jewelry by Sue Bartley and handbags by Linanz. Midwinter hours are Thursday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment.
Peninsula Gallery (520 E. Savannah Rd in Lewes; 302-645-0551; peninsula-gallery.com) features the Frank Schoonover retrospective (courtesy of the Lewes Historical Society) through February 28.
*Philip Morton Gallery
(47 Baltimore Avenue; 302-727-0905; philipmortongallery.com) featuring the art of Alden Leonard, Chisolm, Dane Tilghman, Andres Tremols and Mickey Williams, not to mention one of the cutest curators in town. Flirting with the help is not “arts-related.”
Proud Bookstore (Baltimore Avenue in Village By the Sea; 302-227-6969) featuring the artwork of Geri Dibiase, Jeffrey Todd Moore, David Kraft, Lynn Finaldi, Michael Gardner, Patrick Keating and John Gress as well as having TONS of great books, cards, calendars.
Rehoboth Art League (12 Dodds Lane in Henlopen Acres; 302-227-8408; rehobothartleague.org) has a variety of classes beginning. Check their website for availability and times.
Rehoboth Beach Museum (302-227-7310; M-F 10-4/ Weekends 11-3; Rehoboth Avenue at the Canal; rehobothbeachmuseum.org) presents Captain John and Sarah Avery: A 17th-Century Family on Delaware’s Frontier. Utilizing artifacts discovered at the site as a point of reference, the exhibit explores the shifting economic and cultural traditions of the English and Dutch colonists, and their interaction with local American Indian communities, illuminating the joys and hardships of daily life in Sussex County in the late 1600s and early 1700s. Through April.
*Thunderbird Gallery (200 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-227-1900; thunderbirdshop.com)
*Ward Ellinger Gallery (CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard, 39 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-2710; wardellinger.com) presenting works by the eponymous Ward Ellinger and other amazing artists.
*WibergArt (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-245-3615; wibergart@aol.com) features renowned marine artist, Jack Wiberg, and his original oils of sailing vessels and ships.
MUSIC and FILM
Coastal Concerts (in residence at Bethel UMC Hall; Fourth and Market Streets in Lewes; 888-212-6458; coastalconcerts.org, P.O. Box 685; Lewes, DE. 19958) hosts renowned pianist Stephen Hough Saturday, February 26 at 8 p.m. Mr. Hough offers works ranging from Beethoven’s familiar “Moonlight” sonata to Liszt’s incredibly difficult Sonata in B Minor. Mr. Hough’s performance of this program in Carnegie Hall this past November received an audience ovation and rave reviews in the New York Times. An evening you won’t want to miss!
Epworth United Methodist Church (19285 Holland Glade Road; 302-227-7743; www.epworth-rehoboth.org) Doug James and Keith Mack perform a Benefit Concert for the Haiti Mission Team. All proceeds will assist in paying for labor team and supplies needed for the mission trip in March. Sunday, February 27; 4 p.m. with a “meet and greet” reception after the concert.
The Rainbow Chorale of Delaware (888-512-5093; therainbowchorale.org) will be performing their 2011 Cabaret A Night at the Glammies—A Fabulous Gay Evening on Saturday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at the Clear Space Theatre (20 Baltimore Avenue). Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Seating is limited. There will be a silent auction, refreshments, cash bar and dancing after the show. Dress code is “fabulous.” $25-$60
Rehoboth Beach Film Society (107 Truitt Avenue, 302-645-9095; rehobothfilm.com) has their Another Take (gay and lesbian themed films) series, co-presented by CAMP Rehoboth at the upstairs screening room at Midway Theaters. Violet Tendencies with Mindy Cohn as Violet—Saturday, February 19 at 8 p.m. and You Should Meet My Son—Sunday, February 20 at 2 p.m. Tickets: $7. Lots of other events you should check out on their website. Yes, movies count as arts-related events…
Southern Delaware Choral Society (PO Box 444; Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971; southerndelawarechoralsociety.org)
You can contact Doug at Doug@ClearSpaceTheatre.org.