Many know the story of Bernard Pomerance’s play “The Elephant Man.” In 1880s London, John Merrick or, as some called him at the time, the Elephant Man, is a horribly deformed young man – a victim of rare skin and bone diseases. Under the care of celebrated physician Frederick Treves, Merrick slowly evolves from an object of pity to an urbane gentleman, desperate to be recognized as a man like any other.

The play by Pomerance came before the celebrated film version of Merrick’s story, but the film was written by Director David Lynch and two screenwriting partners instead of Pomerance. The play is widely considered a more interesting and electrifying achievement, due to its reliance on the actor playing Merrick to physically embody the various conditions and diseases that have ravaged his body. Rarely produced, due to the incredibly transformative demands on the title character actor, it provides astounding tour-de-force performances and is universally seen as a modern stage classic.

Interested actors are strongly encouraged to view director E.T. Wilford’s instructions and character descriptions prior to auditions. That information will be found here: www.garfieldcenter.org/gcaevent/open-auditions-the-elephant-man/all/
(on that page, click any of the dates shown to read the notes)

Directing “The Elephant Man” is E.T. Wilford, who has previously served as the Executive Director of The Groove Theatre in Cambridge. It runs in performance on weekends October 3rd through October 19th.

The Church of the Holy Trinity, Oxford MD, is honored to be able to share select students of the Leon Fleisher 2025 Summer Academy. The concert will be held Sunday afternoon, July 20, 2025 at 4 p.m. in the church’s Parish Hall (502 S. Morris St. Oxford MD). The past two years, Holy Trinity has been privileged to present a number of these extraordinarily talented students, in concert, prior to their international competitions and Asian and European tours. Concert attendees have been mesmerized by the high level of musicianship and performance exhibited by these young pianists. Please join us for a wonderful afternoon of great music by the Masters shared by amazing young pianists! Not to be missed!

The Leon Fleisher 2025 Summer Academy involves students of all ages from around the world. They gather at American University to have an immersive two week session studying the piano and working closely with world-class artists in addition to collaborating with top chamber musicians. We are very excited to present students who have achieved major milestones in their piano studies. This concert is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the public to meet and experience the extraordinary music students from around the world; young pianists that we will hear on world stages in the future. Many of these students are or have been child prodigies, possessing advanced skills in piano performance.

There are no tickets for this event. Donations will be accepted for The Leon Fleisher Academy, as they foster the next generation of world-class pianists. For further information, please contact the church office at 410-226-5134 r [email protected].

Allegro Academy invites all to attend its annual Summer Sing Choir Festival, July 26, 2025 at 7pm.  Each year, nearly 100 community musicians alongside professional soloists and instrumentalists come together to present a major choral work for this highly attended event.  This year’s performance will take place at Easton’s Waterfowl Festival building, 40 South Harrison Street, and will feature Dan Forrest’s Jubilate Deo — a global, celebratory setting of Psalm 100. 

“Dan Forrest’s Jubilate Deo brings to life the global aspect of the traditional Psalm 100 text, “O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands,” by setting it in seven different languages and drawing from a wide spectrum of musical influences. Each movement combines some characteristics of its language-group’s musical culture with the composer’s own musical language. Movements include liturgical Latin, intertwined Hebrew and Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Zulu, Spanish, Song of the Earth (untexted), and a closing movement combining several of these languages with English. The result is a stunning global celebration of joy, as all the earth sings as one, “omnis terra, jubilate!””

The Summer Sing Choir Festival welcomes singers from across the Mid-Shore area to join the non-auditioned choir and participate at no cost. Conducted by Allegro Academy’s founder and Artistic Director Amy Morgan, performances are typically met with a full house.  Audience members are not required to pay, but encouraged to give a suggested donation of $20, as it is the mission of Allegro Academy to make superior music performance and education opportunities available to all.  

Other programs of the Academy include the Allegra! Women’s Chorus, Allegro Youth Choirs, private music lessons, group classes, and the student scholarship fund.  Thanks to generous support from the community, the Academy is able to provide scholarships for lessons and student ensembles, host superb free or low-cost performances, and foster a welcoming environment where musicians from all backgrounds can thrive. 

For more information about the Summer Sing Choir Festival and other programs, please visit www.allegroacademyeaston.com or call 410-603-8361. Programs of Allegro Academy are funded by generous community members, Talbot Arts, the Mid-Shore Community Foundations, The Women and Girls Fund, and the Maryland State Arts Council.

Studio B Art Gallery is thrilled to announce a vibrant lineup of art events this July, offering exciting opportunities for the community and visitors alike to connect with acclaimed artists and experience creativity in action.

The First Friday Gallery Walk will be held on Friday, July 11, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Join us for a special “Art Salon” style open house showcasing new paintings from previous Plein Air Easton winners and 2025 participants. Acclaimed artists will be present at the gallery for a casual meet-and-greet, sharing their latest works and engaging with guests. This is a perfect evening for art enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the local art scene and mingle with award-winning painters.

During Plein Air Easton, July 11-20, 2025, Studio B Art Gallery will continue the celebration with an exclusive Portrait Sculpture Demonstration with Rick Casali on Thursday, July 17, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Casali is internationally known for his fine portraits in oils and bronze. This event provides a unique opportunity to observe the sculpture process and participate in a Q&A session with Rick as he works. This event will be held at Studio B Art Gallery, 7B Goldsborough Street, Easton, MD. Seating is limited, so early arrival is recommended.

More exciting events and artist appearances are planned throughout the month of July. Please stay tuned to Studio B Art Gallery’s website and social media pages for updates and additional details.

For more information about Studio B Art Gallery, visit us online at www.studiobartgallery.com, on Facebook and Instagram @studiobartgallery, or contact Betty Huang at [email protected].

Improv Easton, Talbot County’s favorite – and only – improv troupe, invites the community to “Improv for Everyone!” This one-of-a-kind free event will be held on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, at 40 S. Harrison Street in Easton, MD.

No prior experience is necessary to drop in and try improv games and exercises. Improv Easton welcomes people of all ages. Current troupe members range in age from high school to retired.

Improv for Everyone is a unique opportunity to meet new people, share laughs, and discover improvisational comedy in a fun, low-pressure, supportive, and relaxed environment. More than just comedy, improv skills have been shown to have wide-ranging benefits beyond the stage, helping people improve confidence, listening ability, creativity, and quick thinking.

Register now to add some fun to your summer. Interested community members can sign up at https://tinyurl.com/TryImprovJuly2025.

About Improv Easton

Improv Easton’s mission is to provide opportunities for creative connection in our community through the art of improv comedy. Since 2019, the troupe has been meeting weekly to play improv games, develop scenes, and hone their craft. They have appeared in numerous venues throughout Talbot County, including the Avalon, the Stoltz Pavilion, the Academy Art Museum, Oxford Community Center and more. Improv Easton is a fund of the Mid Shore Community Foundation.

For more information about Improv Easton or upcoming events, follow them on Facebook and Instagram, or email [email protected].

Please join us for a special evening concert celebrating our Steinway in all its virtuosic splendor, as international pianist Yury Shadrin along with his wife, acclaimed musician Tian Lu present a marvelous program of solo and four hand piano classics.

Pianist Yury Shadrin is an internationally acclaimed soloist who has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and numerous major venues across four continents. In recent seasons he has performed in concerts at Russia’s Mariinsky Theatre, China’s Central Conservatory of Music and Nanning EXPO Center, The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Oberlin Conservatory.

An accomplished international performer, Chinese pianist Tian Lu has appeared as a concerto soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician throughout Asia, the United States, Europe, and South America. Recent guest appearances include The Julliard School, Eastman School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Central Conservatory in Beijing as well as her debut recital at the Kennedy Center with Washington Performing Arts.

A free will offering will be accepted at the door.

Please join us for a special evening concert celebrating our Steinway in all its virtuosic splendor, as international pianist Yury Shadrin along with his wife, acclaimed musician Tian Lu present a marvelous program of solo and four hand piano classics.

Pianist Yury Shadrin is an internationally acclaimed soloist who has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and numerous major venues across four continents. In recent seasons he has performed in concerts at Russia’s Mariinsky Theatre, China’s Central Conservatory of Music and Nanning EXPO Center, The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Oberlin Conservatory.

An accomplished international performer, Chinese pianist Tian Lu has appeared as a concerto soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician throughout Asia, the United States, Europe, and South America. Recent guest appearances include The Julliard School, Eastman School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Central Conservatory in Beijing as well as her debut recital at the Kennedy Center with Washington Performing Arts.

A free will offering will be accepted at the door.