June, June, June!
Oprah is gone, the Prom season has ended, the graduations are coming to an end, the meters are back up, and I can almost smell the SPF 50 from my office. Yes, summertime is when the livin’ is easy and the parking isn’t, when we all wish “they” could be California Girls (or Boys), and nobody wants to be under the boardwalk anymore. Fortunately, it’s also when the area feels the most alive, and I get to take my annual plunge into the ocean, though probably not until August when the water is much warmer. With as full as my off-season columns are, it’s hard to believe I crammed everything into one column this week! Now I have some time to figure out what my summer cocktail will be this year. Maybe I’ll call Oprah and see what she is drinking this summer. All locations are Rehoboth Beach, unless otherwise noted.
PERFORMING ARTS
Clear Space Theatre Company (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-2270; ClearSpaceTheatre.org) Sussex County’s only year-round professional troupe presents OperaDelaware in Opera Pops...And Sizzles!, June 7-8, arias, duets and ensemble numbers from Carmen, La Boheme, The Merry Widow, and more. A lecture with OperaDelaware Executive Director, Lee Kimball on Monday, June 6 at 10 a.m. Coffee and bagels are included in the price of the lecture. June 18-19 CSTC brings the Opus 9 Ensemble from New York City to recreate a German music salon, complete with vocal duets, clarinet, viola and piano. Time to register your child/grand-child for the Clear Space Musical Theatre Summer Stock Intensive for grades 1-12. Check the website for details and registration. Make your reservations for the opening night “Speakeasy Party” for the opening of Chicago. An evening of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery, and treachery—all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts, Thursday, June 30. Their summer stock season starts June 21 with Words and Music: By Gershwin and the latest version of their popular revue series 100 Years of Broadway. Great theatre six nights a week!
Possum Point Players (441 Old Laurel Road in Georgetown; 302-856-4560; possumpointplayers.org) presents Move Over, Mrs. Markham, a British comedy directed by Jeff Haslow. June 10-19. Sneak Peak Variety Show to benefit the Summer Theater Academies and the Possum Junior Show; directed by Mary Boucher. June 25-26. The Possum Juniors presents Robin Hood, co-directed by James Davis and Hannah Powers. July 21-24. Sign up for the PPP Summer Drama Academy for grades 2-5 (July 25-29) and the PPP Summer Theater Academy for grades 5-10 (August 8-12). Both camps include age appropriate instruction with a final show at the end of the week.
VISUAL ARTS
Galleries marked with an asterisk (*) are members of The Rehoboth Gallery Collective, MOSAIC (mosaicrehoboth.com). Join participating galleries for their Second Saturdays: Destination Art Walk, June 11 from 6-9 p.m.
*AerieArt Gallery (45½ Lake Avenue; 302-227-5376/302-585-6402; rehoboth.com/aerieart) holds a month-long exhibition, Summer Light: original paintings by Carole Sue Lebbin. Opening July 1 is a display of the paintings of Jinchul Kim, Paul Flexner, and Jim Hill, all professors of art at Salisbury University. Always on display are paintings from the 19th Century to the present.
Artworx19971 (20 Baltimore Avenue at The Celebration Mall; 302-727-1517) 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 or works in progress.
*Gallery 50 (50-A Wilmington Avenue; 302-227-2050; 50contemporaryart.com) presents their yearly photography exhibition through July 7. On display will be works by 10 professional photographers, including Barb Kinney, former White House photographer for the Clinton administration.
*Heidi Lowe Gallery (328 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-227-9203; heidilowegallery@gmail.com) features handmade, contemporary jewelry by studio artists from around the world.
*Juleez (20 Baltimore Avenue at the Celebration Mall; 302-227-3792; juleez.com) features the unique and vibrant works of Julie Borden including hand-painted cellos, violins, miniature pianos, acrylic on canvas originals and giclee prints. They also carry the dichroic glass sculptures of 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. Opening Saturday, June 4 (5-7 p.m.) From a Woman’s Perspective —featuring photography by Robin Braun, Mary Dubois, Ellen Elms, and Notar Beth Trepper.
*Paintiques (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-258-4203) offers Sherry Biele’s unique and artfully-painted vintage furniture, accessories, and glass art by Connie Ballato; Silver jewelry by Sue Bartley and handbags by Linanz.
Peninsula Gallery (520 E. Savannah Road in Lewes; 302-645-0551; peninsula-gallery.com) presents Along the Coast—a collection of small plein air paintings by Ardmore, Pennsylvania artist, Joe Sweeney. Through June 28. Opening July 2—Land and Sea—a group show with Michele Green (Delaware), Stephen Brehm (Pensylvania), and Brian Murphy (Virginia).
*Philip Morton Gallery (47 Baltimore Avenue; 302-727-0905; philipmortongallery.com)
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 great books, cards, calendars.
Rehoboth Art League (12 Dodds Lane in Henlopen Acres; 302-227-8408; rehobothartleague.org) Opening June 3—the 38th Annual Members Fine Craft Exhibit in the Corkran and Tubbs Galleries. Artwork from this years’ Plein Air Event is on exhibition in the Homestead Gallery. An opening reception for both shows is Friday, June 3 from 5-7 p.m. Time to make reservations for the 22nd Annual Best of the Beach Beebe Medical Foundation Art Auction on June 11. Fine art, great food, live and silent auctions to benefit the Foundation and the League. Call 302-644-2900 for tickets and information. Coming July 12-13, the 62nd Annual Cottage Tour!
Rehoboth Beach Film Society (107 Truitt Avenue, 302-645-9095; rehobothfilm.com) Festival Film Reviews: Monday June 13, 20, and 27 in the upstairs screening room at Movies at Midway (7 p.m.) $2. Tuesday June 14 and 21 at South Coastal Library, Bethany (7 p.m.) Free. Cinema by the Canal Outdoor Screening: Despicable Me; Thursday, June 16, Canalfront Park, Lewes, at dusk; free.
Rehoboth Beach Museum (302-227-7310; Rehoboth Avenue at the Canal, rehobothbeachmuseum.org) invites you to stop and see their new exhibit: Skimming the Surface: Surfing, Skimboarding, and Floating off the Delaware Coast.
Surrattsart (20 Baltimore Avenue at the Celebration Mall; 302-227-3522; surrattsart.com) featuring the work of artist Sherry Surratt. Specializing in oils, acrylics, and gouache.
*Thunderbird Gallery (200 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-227-1900; thunderbirdshop.com) features the colorful, whimsical acrylics of Naples, Florida artist Thom Milsap. Thom’s love of vibrant color is always present in his buildings, flowers and at the beach.
*Ward Ellinger Gallery (CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard, 39 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-2710; wardellinger.com) presents Nature’s Dialogue—paintings by Tanja Bos, a Dutch artist who currently lives and works in Washington, D.C. Through June 21. Also on display are works by Ward Ellinger.
*WibergArt (20 Baltimore Avenue at the Celebration Mall; 302-226-0206 or 302-245-3615; wibergart@aol.com) features renowned marine artist, Jack Wiberg, and his original oils of sailing vessels and ships.