The sounds of singing and dancing are filling the Church Hill Theatre as talented local youngsters rehearse for their productions of Winnie the Pooh, Kids and Shrek the Musical, Jr. that they will perform on Thursday, July 19 through Saturday, July 21. For the past nineteen years, Green Room Gang campers have honed their acting, singing and dancing skills to produce fully staged musical productions. Winnie the Pooh, Kids is adapted for children from the classic book by A. A. Milne and Disney Film. Shrek the Musical, Jr. is based on the book by William Steig, the 2001 film and the Broadway musical featuring Sutton Foster, which tells the tale about an ogre who finds happiness.

Photo: Members of the cast of Shrek the Musical, Jr. From left to right, they are Eamon Murphy as Farquaad, Abby Reynolds as Fiona, Caleb Ford as Shrek, and Lindsey Jones as Donkey. Photo by Steve Atkinson.

Becca Van Aken directs younger performers in Winnie the Pooh, Kids and Kyle Lindenberger directs the middle and high students in Shrek the Musical, Jr. Interns Mark Christie and Iz Clemens ably assist both directors in all aspects of the classes and rehearsals.  Production staff includes Tom Rhodes, Carmen Grasso for set construction, Tina Johnson and Erma Johnson who are creating the costumes, with Nic Carter and Kat Melton working on lighting.  Volunteer interns are Courtney Adams, Sydney Christian, Olivia Giuliano, Jesse Goodman, Lynsey Hildebrand, Christina Lewis, Maya McGrory, Elliott Morotti and Jen Johnson.  Ginger Ellis is stage manager for the Jr. group and Lynsey Hildebrand does the same duty for the Sr. group.  Shelagh Grasso and Sylvia Maloney serve as producers and mentors.  Many parents and other volunteers helped with costumes, sets, and props, making this annual show a real community effort.

Performances will be on the evenings of Thursday, July 19 and Friday, July 20 at 7 pm and on Saturday, July 21 at 2 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and  $5 for students. Reservations can be made by calling the box office at (410) 556-6003.

Rehearsals have begun for Easton’s Allegro Academy Summer Community Chorus, under the direction of Amy Morgan, who has brought together more than 60 singers and musicians from the Easton/Delmarva area. The group will present the famous and much loved Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria on Friday, July 27, 2018 at 7 p.m.  The performance is free and will take place at Trinity Cathedral, 315 Goldsborough Street, Easton, MD.  The chorus will be joined by a professional orchestra and soloists Caitlyn Crowley, soprano, Katie Cox, soprano, and Patty Rubin, mezzo-soprano.

The Gloria will be conducted by the Allegro Academy’s Artistic Director, Amy Morgan.  Mrs. Morgan is an accomplished musician whose education includes a Bachelors degree in Piano Performance from Salisbury University and Masters in Choral Conducting from Messiah College.  Mrs. Morgan founded the Allegro Academy in 2017 and has served as the music director at Trinity Cathedral since 2014.

Several participants commented that they thought this was a wonderful idea to “bring together the community and meet new people.”  Anyone who wanted to sing was welcomed.  One participant said she “loves to sing and was excited about being able to sing in such a large choir without having to audition.”  Mrs. Morgan hopes that the Allegro Academy summer community chorus will become a regular event.

The programs of the Allegro Academy are funded in part by the Talbot County and Maryland State Arts Councils.  For more information about this program or the Allegro Academy, call 410-603-8361, or visit www.allegroacademyeaston.com.

Exciting news for Talbot County Artists! Join the Talbot County Arts Council and the St. Michaels Art League who are jointly sponsoring an art exhibition during October at the Talbot County Free Library in Easton. This event is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Maryland State Arts Council and the 40th anniversary of the Talbot County Arts Council—both of which over the years have provided millions of dollars in arts funding to organizations and schools in Talbot County.

Did you know Maryland is currently ranked 4^th in the United States for money allocated to arts spending? Many of the wonderful artists benefiting from this support live, work or sell their art in Talbot County.  This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our talent! The event is for artists who work in the disciplines of drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and various other visual art forms.  You do not need to be a member of any arts organization to participate.

“I Feel Pretty” by Jo Merrill

There is no fee to participate in this event.Entries will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis, as space is limited, so be sure and register soon. To participate you must register on the online Artists Registry on the Talbot County Arts Council website (talbotarts.org), and you must also complete a registration form for the event (also available on the website).If you need technical assistance joining the artists registry, contact its designer Danielle Darling (email dannidarling79@gmail.com).

Julie Madden of Howard County and St. Michaels will judge the event. Julie recently completed a term on the board of directors of the Maryland State Arts Council followed by six months as MSAC’sinterim executive director.  She will be selecting the recipients of first place ($250), second place ($150), and third place ($100) awards, as well as honorable mentions.  Awards will be presented at an opening reception on the evening of Friday, October 5^th.

Registrations for the exhibit must be filed by Tuesday, September 4, but register soon to make sure you get in!For further information check the bottom of the home page of the Arts Council’s website (talbotarts.org); or contact Jo Merrill (merrilljosephine@gmail.com) or Beth Wright (wilmafeet28@gmail.com).  Visit www.smartleague.org for information on the league and its activities.

The St. Michaels Art League (SMAL) is exhibiting a juried collection of work at the Academy Art Museum in Easton from July 21 through August 19 in their “Selections” gallery. Various mediums are represented, inspired by the theme of “Reflections.”  Interpretations vary from literal to figurative and include reflections in nature; on objects, on buildings, and reflections of thought and expression.

Sharon Mills’ “Cold Front Approaching”

SMAL was founded 25 years ago and currently boasts over 100 members from around the Eastern Shore and beyond.  The group includes many award-winning artists and aims to encourage artistic development and provide education that enriches lives through the creative arts.

Carla Massoni, owner of the Massoni Gallery in Chestertown, Md since 1990, will serve as the juror.  Carla has been deeply involved in the arts of the Mid-Atlantic for over 30 years.

The Academy Art Museum is located at 106 South St. in Easton. The museum hours are Tues, Weds, Thurs 10am-8pm; Mon, Fri, Sat and Sun 10am-4pm and first Fri 10am-7pm.  Admission is free for Academy members; non-members $3, children 12 and under are free.

Troika Gallery will host painting demonstrations by two masters, Sara Linda Poly and Matt Zoll during Plein Air Easton. On Friday, July 20, at 2:15 pm Matt Zoll, a realistic still life painter in the Flemish tradition will give a painting demo followed on Saturday, July 21 at 2:15 pm, by plein air painter Sara Linda Poly, the Grand Prize Winner at the 2016 Plein Air Easton. Both artists are masters in their own right, Zoll is a graduate of the Schuler School of Fine Arts in Baltimore and is a sought-after instructor with his studio/school.  Poly has a keen following and offers workshops throughout the country and the world. Everyone is invited to learn by watching the artistic skills of these two Troika Gallery artists while relaxing in the cool air-conditioned gallery. Reservations are not necessary. Free to the public.

“Enchantment,” oil, 30 x 40 by Sara Linda Poly

Kevin Fitzgerald’s new evocative landscape paintings are on display, from his featured show, “The Stillness of Time.”  Original oils, watercolors, pastels, bronze sculpture, porcelain and ceramics by the 36 featured Troika Artists  are exhibited.

Featuring “The Finest of Fine Art,” Troika Gallery is the most extensive operating gallery on the Eastern Shore. Selected six times as the Best Art Gallery by What’s Up Eastern Shore magazine, the gallery has loyal followers. Whether an art collector, art lover or an art browser, Troika encourages you to stop in and see the beautiful art. Professional Artists and Co-Owners, Laura Era and Jennifer Heyd Wharton, along with Manager, Peg Fitzgerald, welcome your visit and will happily address questions on art, portraiture, and framing. Troika Gallery is located at 9 South Harrison Street and is open every day from 10:00 am until 5:30 pm and Sunday by appointment, 410-770-9190, www.troikagallery.com, art@troikagallery.com.

The St. Michaels Art League (SMAL) is committed to encouraging and supporting young art students by contributing to identified needs in the schools and awarding prizes for individual excellence.  For several years, the league has worked with Bridget Whited, an Advanced Placement (AP) Art Instructor for the Talbot County Schools to select outstanding students for recognition.

Created by May Shaw

This year, SMAL reviewed portfolios for several AP Art Students from the St. Michaels and Easton High Schools and selected three senior students for awards: Taylor Wheatley, Alison Ortel and May Shaw. SMAL presented awards to these students on May 23^rd at the St. Michaels High School Senior Awards Ceremony. SMAL congratulates these students and wishes them well in their future artistic endeavors!

Information on the St. Michaels Art League can be found at www.smartleague .org.

Beth Wright, President of SMAL, and Tyler Heim, Manager of Justine’s Ice Cream.

Going on it’s fourth year, the Art Hunt is summer tradition in St. Michaels. Who wouldn’t do a little work for ice cream, especially when it’s fun?

For the uninitiated, the Art Hunt is a scavenger hunt for artwork “hidden” in various businesses throughout town, beginning July 1^st and ending July 31st.  Paintings by St. Michaels Art League members are placed in stores, along with cards listing the paintings and the participating merchants.  Visitors take the cards to the participating stores and have the merchant mark the card when a painting is spotted.  Whenat least 12 of the 20 paintings listed are found, the card can be presented at Justine’s Ice Cream to receive a free cone.

This project fits in with the mission of the St. Michaels Art League (SMAL), a non-profit group of artists from St. Michaels and beyond. The purpose of the League is to promote visual arts through education, community service and exhibits.In the case of the Art Hunt, local art is showcased and the town benefits from the economic promotion that a lively arts scene engenders.

The Art Hunt started out with a small number of merchants but once others realized it’s a good way to get traffic in their stores, more jumped on board. They enjoy seeing the children delight in finding a painting. Stan and Marianne Stallsmith, owners of the Candleberry Shoppe on Talbot Street remarked that “the Art Hunt teaches kids about art in a fun way.  What makes it fun is the gleam in their eyes when they come in and start looking and asking questions. We give hints and make it a fun game. It’s more than just ice cream.”

SMAL is grateful for the partnership of the St. Michaels merchants, and of course, Justine’s. This year the league presented a thank you painted by SMAL member Jo Merrill to Tyler Heim, Manager of Justine’s. Tyler said “It’s been an honor to work with SMAL and we look forward to doing so in the future. Promoting the arts is crucial, and Justine’s is proud to be part of it.”

This Program is funded in part by a grant from the Talbot County Arts Council with revenue provided by the Maryland State Arts Council.

Local author Paul Briggs will hold a reading and signing to celebrate the launch of his new book, Altered Seasons: Monsoonrise, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the meeting room of the Talbot County Free Library in Easton on Monday, July 2. Coffee and cake will be served. 

Altered Seasons: Monsoonrise, the first novel in a two-part series, has just been released by Secant Publishing in Salisbury. Set in the near future, it explores the disastrous effects of runaway climate change and sea level rise on many parts of the world, including the Eastern Shore, following the total melting of ice in the Arctic Ocean.

It has been praised by critics, including the American Library Association’s Booklist, which called it “A solid addition to cli fi collections.” Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine opined: “It’s the kind of meaty book that keeps coming back to you for weeks after you’ve finished reading,” while Kirkus Reviews said: “This epic story of global pandemonium wisely centers on accessible characters.”

Other signings have also been scheduled at independent bookstores throughout the Shore:

– The Book Warehouse in the Queenstown Prime Outlets, Saturday, July 21.
– Bethany Beach Books in Bethany Beach, Delaware, Tuesday, July 31.
– Sundial Books in Chincoteague, Virginia, Saturday, August 11.

Altered Seasons: Monsoonrise is available through IndieBound, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and many other retail channels including local bookstores. The 374-page paperback edition sells for $15.95 (ISBN 978-1-944962487). It is also available in e-book format.