The Union Label
As a kid, Labor Day meant the end of the dreaded summer vacation and the start of the glorious school year. Yes, I was a weird kid—the one who wanted to get back to school! Fall has always been my favorite season, and likely due to my addiction to the classroom and the end of the heat. Labor Day was started by the Central Labor Union of New York in 1882 to celebrate the “working man.” The first Monday of September was set as the official holiday in 1884, giving us the first three-day weekend. I would encourage all of you to end the disturbing trend of never disconnecting from work and leave the cell phone and iPad at home for at least one day a week. Discover the joy of actually holding a conversation with someone face to face. Go to the theater or a film without having to grab your phone and return a text. Really, it can wait. Rest from your labors! To that end, I have graciously provided you with a host of arts-related distractions. All locations are Rehoboth Beach, unless otherwise noted.
PERFORMING ARTS
Clear Space Theatre Company (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-2270) has just a few days left of their summer season! Don’t miss Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Chicago, and Shrek. Final Bow Cabaret—September 2 (10 p.m.). Free, but donations accepted. Their third Annual Black Tie and Barefoot gala is September 10 at Ivy in Dewey Beach—with music by the Family Jewells. Opening September 23: Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive.
Coastal Concerts (in residence at Bethel UMC Hall; Fourth and Market Streets, Lewes; 888-212-6458; P.O. Box 685; Lewes, DE. 19958) has an “Early Bird” subscription discount for their 2016-2017 season—five concerts for the price of four.
Concerts by the Sea (All Saints Episcopal; 18 Olive Ave.) presents a “Don’t Miss!” event—The U.S. Army Chorus Baritones—September 16 and 17 (6 p.m.) and the Andrea Wood Jazz Quartet—October 14 (7:30 p.m.).
Kent County Theatre Guild (140 E. Roosevelt Ave in Dover; 800-838-3006) has a free Improvisation Workout with Melissa Brenner for adults August 28 (6-8 p.m.) and for kids– September 3 (1-3 p.m.). Tickets for their production of Twelve Angry Men go on sale September 4.
Ovation Dinner Theater (302-500-1528) presents interactive comedy and Murder Mystery Dinner Theaters all over the area. Check their website for locations.
Possum Point Players (441 Old Laurel Road in Georgetown; 302-856-4560) are in rehearsal for their all-star production of Into the Woods—September 30-October 9.
Premier Centre for the Arts at Milton Theater (110 Union St in Milton; 302-684-3038) offers a huge variety of entertainment! August 27: The Remains: Ramones Tribute Band. September 3: Rat Pack Together Again. September 9: Nashville Funk/Jazz group Dynamo. September 10: Jersey Jukebox. September 13 and 27: Mooncat Comedy Open Mic. September 15: Revival House—Black Dynamite. September 16: Stand-Up Comedy. September 17: Joey and Gina’s Comedy Italian Wedding Dinner Theater. September 22: Film—The Shopkeeper. September 23: Lurking for Love with Magnolia Applebottom. September 24: Appalachian Mountain Music with Driven Women. September 26: Artist Showcase. September 28: Kirtan—Devotional chant yoga and complimentary vegetarian feast! September 30-October 1: Assisted Living the Musical. October 7: Aging Gracelessly: 50 Shades of Fay starring our own Fay Jacobs! Many of the events also feature wine or craft beer tastings! Check their website for further details.
Rehoboth Beach Film Society (107 Truitt Avenue, 302-645-9095) has great independent films opening every Friday at their new Cinema Arts Theatre (17701 Dartmouth Drive in Lewes). See the World: presented by Accent on Travel—second Thursday of each month (3:45 p.m.). Special Event: A feature film adaptation of Macbeth—September 13. CINE-brations LGBT Film Festival, co-sponsored by CAMP Rehoboth, runs from September 22-25 in the Cinema Arts Theatre. See rehobothfilm.com for a list of movies.
Second Street Players (2 South Walnut Street in Milford; 302-422-0220) opens one of my favorite comedies—Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit—September 9-18. Their Children’s Theater is in rehearsal for Charlotte’s Web—October 6-8.
VISUAL ARTS
The Galleries at 20 Baltimore (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-258-4203) hosts a fantastic collection of artists: Amandeline Gallery celebrates summer with color, including original paintings by Yvonne Mora, Sergey Cherep, and Tom Clarke. Anne Packard’s new seascape canvases and the beautiful undersea oil paintings of MP Gerald continue to be displayed throughout the summer. Paintiques has “Painted Furniture Galore”! as well as a fantastic new selection of pieces for the Summer season. They can customize anything and do beautiful work. The Happyrock Pottery features the work of potter Susan Gladstone. WibergArt and Studio 3 displays the work of renowned marine artist, Jack Wiberg, as well as the work of many fine local artists.
*Gallery 50 and G-50 Fine Art Photography (50 A-B Wilmington Avenue; 302-227-2050) features great modern, contemporary art with CON-CEP-TION—a new joint show with Ward Ellinger and Sondra N. Arkin through September 6. During September they will feature new works in the Comic Book Series of Terry Isner. An artist’s reception is Friday, September 2 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Over Labor Day weekend, a percentage of sales from Terry’s work will be donated to the Sundance Benefit. Check out Linda Whitney and Karen Calandra’s line of jewelry, and the high quality workmanship of their framing shop.
Heidi Lowe Gallery (328 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-227-9203) has classes in jewelry making, and beautiful and unique hand-made pieces for purchase. Local jewelry artist Arden Bardol opens Suspension: The Experiment—September 1 (opening reception 5-7 p.m.)—through October 22. Join Heidi on September 23 (6-10 p.m.) to celebrate the gallery’s tenth anniversary!
Painting With a Twist (17723 Coastal Highway; 302-313-5769) is a fun, new studio offering public painting classes and private pARTies for anyone over the age of seven, and provides complimentary wine, beer and soda. Farewell to Summer—Day of the Dead Jazz Funeral Skull Painting—September 1. Sun Dance Painting—September 2. Family Day Classes—September 3 and 10. Date Nite—September 9. Sand Castle Day—September 11. Manic Monday—September 12. Coffee and Canvas—September 14. Open Studio—Christmas in September—September 17. Beauty and the Beast—September 18. Totally ‘80s Karaoke Night—September 23. Paint Your Pet—September 25. Teen Pizza Nite—September 28. Visit their website for details and prices.
Peninsula Gallery (520 E. Savannah Road in Lewes; 302-645-0551) hosts Alchemy—featuring photography by Richard Calvo, paintings by Jason Tako and driftwood sculptures by Larry Ringgold—through August 29. Opening September 3: Picturesque with works by Jacalyn Beam, Howard Eberle, Doris Ingram, and Bill Snow—Opening Night Reception: 5-7 p.m.—through September 26. Opening October 1: Same Image, Three Views—with works by Jean Doran, Laura Hickman, and Steve Rogers.
Philip Morton Gallery (47 Baltimore Avenue; 302-727-0905) has been reacquired by Philip Livingston of Elegant Slumming and is heading in exciting new directions. The new “home” gallery offers distinctive home furnishings, accessories, antiquities, and one-of-a-kind curiosities, and artwork.
Rehoboth Art League (12 Dodds Lane in Henlopen Acres; 302-227-8408) hosts their 78th Annual Members’ Fine Arts Exhibition in the Corkran and Tubbs Galleries—through September 4. Seventh Regional Juried Biennial Exhibition and Recent Permanent Collection Acquisitions—September 9—October 16. Robert Rathe’s Pieces that Remain—Steel from the World Trade Center Domestic—September 9-26. Landscapes: Homestead Gallery through October 31.
Rehoboth Beach Museum (511 Rehoboth Avenue at the Canal, 302-227-7310) is currently featuring Wish You Were Here—an exhibition of over 400 postcards spanning more than 100 years.
Scénique Art Gallery (7 North First Street, 302-226-ARTS [2787]) specializes in fine art seascapes and fun in the sun—featuring artists Sunny Heitzman, Marco Vazquez, Bob Kimball, and Andrea Costa. Join them for Gala-Ray Sashay every Second Saturday.