The St. Michaels Art League is pleased to announce an exhibition of the original artwork used to create the 2019 “Celebrate St. Michaels” banners that will be displayed on the town utility poles beginning in April.

The show will be judged by Johnny Mautz, Maryland House of Delegates Representative for District 37B. Mr. Mautz is a resident of St. Michaels and the manager of the Carpenter Street Saloon in St. Michaels.  Separate Awards will be given in the categories of artistic merit and graphic design.

The exhibit includes banner art created by four AP art students from St. Michaels Middle High School: Elizabeth Scharch, Eve Yacopino, Lillian Muckelroy and Georgia Kline, all students of Bridget Whited, Visual Arts Educator. The cost of the student banners is covered by the League through a grant from the Talbot County Arts Council.

The banner artwork will be displayed April 3-30 at the St. Michaels Library during regular library hours: Monday and Thursday 9am-8pm; Tuesday and Wednesday 9am-6pm; and Friday/Saturday 9am-5pm. Original banner artwork is for sale. For more information go to smartleague.org or call 410-745-5146.  This program is funded in part by a grant from the Talbot County Arts Council with revenue provided by the Maryland State Arts Council.

Everyone knows that Maryland, the Seventh State, has a rich and colorful history.  Did you know that our great state is also no slouch when it comes to the world of sports?  Phrases like Purple Friday, Oriole Magic, the Sack Pack and the Sultan of Swat need no explanation in these parts. Join us on April 1 at noon to test your knowledge of the teams and Maryland athletes who have brought glory to the world of sport when Jeff Korman brings his Maryland Sports History challenge to St. Michael’s.

Spend some time reminiscing and sharing stories about some of our iconic sports teams, professional and amateur, and some of the great players who have performed for them.  This program includes images of the historic events, places, teams, personalities and a fair bit of sports memorabilia.  A program that everyone in the family can enjoy.

Jeff is past Manager of the Maryland Department at Enoch Pratt Free Library/Maryland’s State Library Resource Center in Baltimore.  Now retired from the library world, he lectures around the state on topics related to Maryland history. The Lunch and Learn series is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, coffee and dessert will be provided. For more information you can call 410 745-5877 or check the website at www.tcfl.org.

Don Carlos (Howard Mesick) with his wife, Lucienne (Natalie Lane). Photo by Genevieve Croker.

The hilarious French farce, A Flea in Her Ear written by Georges Feydeau and adapted by David Ives opens at Church Hill Theatre on Friday March 29 and runs through Sunday April 14.  With performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm, audiences have nine opportunities to laugh at this uproarious comedy, directed by Christopher Wallace.  Reservations can be made by calling 410-556-6003 or online at churchhilltheatre.org

Originally written by Feydeau in 1907, A Flea in Her Ear tells the story of Raymonde Chandebise who suspects her husband, Victor of being unfaithful.  To catch him, Raymonde’s best friend Lucienne suggests arranging a rendezvous with an imaginary secret admirer at the Frisky Puss Hotel, and then catching him when he meets her.  Of course, the plan goes awry with a host of characters running around and confusing everything and everyone.  Mistaken identities, jealousy, and more will put the audience in stiches.  David Ives (author of Don Juan in Chicago, All in the Timing and other comedies) translated and adapted the script in 2006; the play is still set in the opulent world of the wealthy at the turn of the century in Paris, but it is accessible to modern audiences.

Director Toph Wallace has assembled a talented cast to tackle this riotous comedy.  Raymonde and her husband Victor are played by Hester Sachse and Brad Chaires (Chaires has a double role as Monsieur Chandebise and Poche the Frisky Puss Hotel’s porter).  Natalie Lane and Howard Mesick take on the roles of Lucienne and her husband Don Carlos Homenides de Histangua.  Tournel, best friend to Chandebise, and a bit of a rake, is played by Dan Guidice.  Robbie Spray takes on the role of Camille, nephew to Victor, while Minnie Maloney plays Raymonde’s flirtatious maid Antoinette, and Michael Moore is her jealous husband, the Chandebise valet, Etienne.  Doctor Finache, a somewhat suspect medical expert is played by Bryan Zajchowski.  At the Frisky Puss, we meet Faraillon the hotel’s owner, and his wife played by Herb Ziegler and Mary Zober.  Their maid Eugenie is played by Shannon Whitaker.  Steve Atkinson and Troy Strootman take on the roles of a rheumatic drunkard and confused Englishman respectively.

Another draw to the Church Hill Theatre production of A Flea in Her Ear is the impressive set designed by Shelagh Grasso and executed by Carmen Grasso, Tom Rhodes and Jim Johnson.  There are two distinct, opulent interiors recreated on the stage, with multiple doors for actors to burst out of, and catch others by surprise.  Audiences may want to stay in their seats during intermission to watch the set revolve and completely change!

The production team also includes Stage Manager, Michelle Christopher; Producer, Sylvia Maloney; Costumer, Juanita Wieczoreck; Lighting Designer, Nic Carter; Photographer Genevieve Croker.

If laughter is something that you enjoy, than be sure to reserve your tickets for A Flea in Her Ear.  Although there is no profanity in the play, there are adult themes wrapped in double entendre and innuendo.

A Flea in Her Ear opens at Church Hill Theatre on March 29, 2019, and runs through April 14, with performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm.  Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for members and $10 for students, with special prices for groups of ten or more. CHT offers 2 for the price of 1 tickets on opening night, Friday, March 29, to those who reserve by phone. Reservations can be made by calling the box office at 410-556-6003 or online at www.churchhilltheatre.org

A painting of Daffodils by SMAL artist Joan Cranor of Hurlock, MD is being offered in a raffle by “St. Michaels in Bloom” as part of the Daffodil Festival in St. Michaels on Saturday, March 30^th. Tickets are available at the festival’s main tent on Talbot St. between Cherry and Mill Streets. The painting is on display in the window of Chesapeake Trading Co. located at 102 S. Talbot St.

The Art League is also holding a pop-up Art Gallery in conjunction with the Daffodil Festival, to include a variety of springtime themed art in various mediums. The Art Show and sale will be at the former A.M. Gravely Gallery located at 408 S. Talbot St. in St. Michaels. Gallery hours are 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday, March 30-31.  For more information visit smartleague.org.

Carpe Diem Arts presents Music in the Gallery Concert Series featuring Lea Morris with Heather Aubrey Lloyd and Kristen Jones. The concert will be held at Contemporary Tapestry Studio & Gallery, 5592 Poplar Lane, Royal Oak (near the Bellevue landing of the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry) on March 24 at 5:00pm.

A one-hour concert in the beautiful tapestry gallery near the Oxford Ferry in Bellevue–between Easton and St. Michaels on the Eastern Shore – followed by a wine and cheese reception with the artists.

LEA’s music is described as SoulFolk, a seamless blend of gospel, jazz, country, R&B and contemporary folk. Having shared the stage with such luminaries as Odetta, Mavis Staples, Dar Williams and Anthony Hamilton, LEA has won multiple awards from the Washington Area Music Association as one of the regions finest vocalists, songwriters and recording artists.

Lea Morris with Heather Aubrey Lloyd and Kristen Jones.

Lea will be joined by Heather Aubrey Lloyd on percussion, vocals and guitar and Kristen Jones on cello and vocals. Both Heather and Kristen are well known for their performances and recordings with the popular group ilyAIMY.

Don’t miss this evening of outstanding vocal harmonies and instrumental arrangements of both original songs and covers. An experience to share with friends and family alike.

TICKETS: $25 for adults, $15 for students and those with low income
Discount for groups of 5 or more, and for those who request assistance.
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4093714
Space is limited.

NOTE: Ulrika Leander’s world-renowned tapestry work will be on view in the Gallery.
www.ctwtapestries.com

More info about the artists:
www.thisislea.com / www.heatheraubreylloyd.com / www.kristenjonesmusic.com

The concert is funded in part by the Dock Street Foundation and by a grant from the Talbot County Arts Council, with revenues provided by the Maryland State Arts Council.

CONTACT: BusyGraham@CarpeDiemArts.orgor call 301-466-0183
www.CarpeDiemArts.org/music-in-the-gallery / www.ctw-tapestry.com

This incredibly talented duo will be performing Friday evening, March 22, 2019 at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary of The Church of the Holy Trinity, Oxford.  Their impressive technique and musicality will shine through Jazz, Brazilian, and Classical music selections.  Selections from Chuck Redd’s 2019 recording, Groove City, will also be shared.

Chuck Redd is familiar to many through his participation in the Jazz on the Chesapeake Festivals and in performance at the Mainstay (Rock Hall MD).  He is well known internationally as a performer on drums and the vibraphone.  Chuck is an outstanding musician, teacher, mentor, and band leader.  One can often find Chuck performing at jazz venues in Washington DC and New York City or headlining jazz festivals throughout the United States.  Students throughout the United States enjoy master classes, workshops, lessons, and lectures Chuck leads as well as in his work as a faculty member of the University of Maryland School of Music.

Nate Najar

Charlie Byrd was a very influential person in the early musical careers of many noted jazz musicians.  Not only was Charlie Byrd Chuck Redd’s mentor and collaborator, his style of guitar playing heavily influenced Nate Najar.  Nate often performs on Charlie’s classical Ramirez guitar, bringing to life the Bossa Nova.

Nate Najar is an American guitarist, composer, and producer.  He has created an eclectic repertoire of pop, jazz, and classical songs unlike that of other jazz musicians.  Becky Byrd, wife of the late Charlie Byrd, shares

“There is no doubt that there is a piece of Charlie’s soul in Nate’s mind, heart and fingers.  Get ready, world, here comes Nate Najar!

Please join us for an evening of inspiring music.  The Church of the Holy Trinity is located at 502 S. Morris Street in Oxford MD.  For more information please contact church office, 410-226-5134.

Richard Diebenkorn, untitled, c. 1945

EXHIBITIONS

The following Academy Art Museum exhibitions are sponsored by the Talbot County Arts Council, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Star Democrat.

Richard Diebenkorn: Beginnings, 1942–1955
April 26–July 14
Reception: Friday, April 26, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Free Docent Tours: Wednesdays, 11 a.m.
The exhibition and its accompanying catalogue aim to present a comprehensive view of Diebenkorn’s evolution to maturity, focusing solely on the paintings and drawings that precede his 1955 shift to figuration at age 33. Included in the exhibition are 100 paintings and drawings primarily from the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation, many of which have not before been publicly exhibited. The exhibition is organized by the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation in conjunction with the Crocker Art Museum, and curated by Scott Shields, Associate Director and Chief Curator of the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA. The Academy Art Museum is the only venue on the East Coast.

Related Events:
Lecture: Sunday, April 28. 2 p.m. – Scott Shields, Exhibition Curator & Catalog Author
Lecture: Saturday, June 1, 11 a.m. – Gretchen Diebenkorn Grant, My Father Richard Diebenkorn

Matthew Moore Stalin, Prague, Czech Republic, 2014 Pigment print.

Matthew Moore: Post-Socialist Landscapes
Through April 7
Free Docent Tours: Wednesdays, 11 a.m.
Matthew Moore is an Associate Professor of Photography and the Chair of the Visual Arts Department at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD. His current project was born as an investigation of the rural and urban landscapes of countries that were once occupied by the Soviet Union.

Recent Acquisitions: Photography @ AAM
Through April 7
Free Docent Tours: Wednesdays, 11 a.m.
Recent Acquisitions: Photography @ AAM presents recently acquired works of photography, including works by Ansel Adams, Berenice Abbott, Tom Baril, Ed Clark, William Eggleston, Lisette Model, Bruce Nauman.

LECTURES

Kittredge-Wilson Lecture
These lectures feature an exciting array of speakers who impart a diversity of perspectives on subjects such as art, architecture, history, and literature.

Ansel Adams, (1902–1984) Cedar Tree and Maple Leaves, c. 1974

Richard Diebenkorn: Beginnings, 1942–1955
Scott Shields Associate Director and Chief Curator, Crocker Museum of Art
Lecture and Book Signing
Sunday, April 28, 2 p.m.
The catalogue focuses on Diebenkorn’s evolution to maturity. It features nearly 200 paintings and drawings, many from the archives of the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation, that precede his shift to figuration. Many of these pieces will be unfamiliar to the public, yet they offer a fuller picture of Diebenkorn’s precocious achievements and set the stage for what was yet to come.

My Father Richard Diebenkorn
Gretchen Diebenkorn Grant
June 1, 11 a.m.
Gretchen Diebenkorn, daughter of the artist, reminisces in a panel discussion with Dorsey Waxter, Partner at Van Doren Waxter, New York.

EVENTS

Open MIC
Second Wednesday Each Month
April 10 – It’s Alive!
7 to 9 p.m.
Contact Ray Remesch at RayRemesch@gmail.com for additional information.

Richard Diebenkorn in the US Marine Corps

ADULT CLASSES

Here is a sampling of the many classes, instructors, and mediums being featured. Please visit academyartmuseum.org to see a complete list of adult class offerings.

Watercolor: Trees, Trees, and More Glorious Trees!
Instructor: Steve Bleinberger
3 weeks: April 9, 16 and 23
Tuesdays 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

An Evening Critique
Mentors: Katie Cassidy, Sheryl Southwick and Diane DuBois Mullaly
Thursday, April 25, 5 – 7 p.m.
Cost: $10 per person payable at the door. Complimentary wine and snacks

CHILDREN’S CLASSES

eARTh Arts Day Extravaganza!
Instructor: Museum Staff
Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
FREE
Save the planet and get creative! Before you throw out that old can, bottle cap, magazine etc…think about what you might do with it to keep it in use. Better yet, come to the Academy Art Museum’s eARTh Arts Day Extravaganza and make some great projects to take back home. This year the Museum is teaming up with Horn Point Laboratory to bring you great new projects.

Steve Bleinberger

SUMMER CAMPS
Academy Art Museum Summer Camps (PreK –High School)
Camps are offered weekly, beginning the last week of June and continuing through the third week of August. Most camps are between two and three hours long.
Academy Art Museum camps are designed to appeal to every age range and arts interest from pre-school summer-themed offerings to tween and teen crafts, such as paper-making and plaster sculpture. The Museum’s signature Kaleidoscope Camp—a perennial favorite—consists of multi-media projects, while other camps focus on building basic art skills, such as drawing and painting. New 2019 camps offer high school students advanced drawing and digital media expertise.

PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES

Piano & Guitar Lessons
Instructor: Raymond Remesch
Contact Instructor for further information at (410) 829-0335 or rayremesch@gmail.com

Voice Lessons
Instructor: Georgiann Gibson
Contact instructor for Information at (410) 829-2525 or georgiann@atlanticbb.net.

Ballroom and Latin Dance
Instructor: Amanda Showell
Contact instructor for information at (302) 377-3088 or visit dancingontheshore.com.

For additional information, visit academyartmuseum.org or call the Museum at 410-822-2787.

Allegro Academy of Easton will be presenting a free performance with acclaimed tenor John Wesley Wright titled Baroque to Broadway.  The performance will take place March 31, 4:00 p.m., at Trinity Cathedral, 315 Goldsborough Street, Easton.

Dr. John Wesley Wright will be joined by pianist Veronica Tomanek in bringing a spirited program of vocal music.  Wright is known for his artistic and soulful interpretations and will be joined by his regional and national award-winning students of Salisbury University.  He is the coordinator of the voice and opera workshop programs at Salisbury University and co-director of the musical theatre program at the Maryland Summer Center of the Arts.

Dr. John Wesley Wright, tenor

Dr. Wright has had numerous tours as soloist with professional ensembles throughout the United States, Europe and Japan.  He holds degrees from Maryville College and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.  With a host of opera and oratorio roles, art songs, spirituals and cabaret music in his repertoire, Wright is a member of the internationally acclaimed American Spiritual Ensemble.  He was the gold medalist and top prize winner of the American Traditions Vocal Competition 2000, and claimed top prizes from the Nations Federation of Music Clubs, Metropolitan Opera National Council, and the International Schubert Competition in Vienna, Austria.

Baroque to Broadway is a free performance and is supported by the Maryland State and Talbot County Arts Councils.  The mission of Allegro Academy is to offer exceptional music education and performance experiences to the greater Talbot County Area and to make these offerings affordable to all.  For more information please visit www.allegroacademyeaston.com or call 410-603-8361.

Chesapeake Film After Hours welcomes film lovers and friends to  “Discriminating Tastes,” a reception to take place at the Piazza Italian Market, 218 N Washington Street, Easton, April 2, 2019, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.  Tickets, including hors d’oeuvres and one complimentary glass of wine, are $45 in advance, $55 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at chesapeakefilmfestival.com.

Guests will watch nationally renowned TV pastry chef, Steve Konopelski, proprietor of Turnbridge Point in Denton, create a culinary work of art that will be auctioned during the event.  Steve’s career in hospitality and baking emerged from his early years as a Broadway dancer and performer.  In November 2015, Steve competed on the Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship, finishing as the runner-up after eight episodes of eliminations.

Chef Steve Konopelski

Mingle with friends and leaders of the Chesapeake Film Festival while savoring a scrumptious buffet of Piazza Italian’s hors d’oeuvres and a complimentary glass of wine.  Leading Talbot County citizen and wine connoisseur Richard Tilghman will pour guests their wine.

Cid Collins Walker, CFF’s Artistic Director, will share how her experiences at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival are helping the 2019 Chesapeake Film Festival to continue to grow as the Eastern Shore’s respected boutique film festival that it has become.

“Chesapeake Film After Hours is a newly formed series for Festival friends and those curious to learn more about CFF and the fall 2019 Festival.  We would like filmmakers and film-lovers to be able to enjoy the Film Festival community throughout the year, “ said George Nilson, CFF President.

The Chesapeake Film Festival is funded by the Maryland Film Office, Maryland State Arts Council, and Talbot County Arts Council.

The mission of the Chesapeake Film Festival is to entertain, enrich and inspire by bringing the finest in narrative, documentary and short film to the Chesapeake Bay community.  The films we showcase are broadly focused to illuminate both the diversity and universality of the human condition.  We believe that films can affect positive change and through this medium individuals and communities can gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world.  We envision a festival that stimulates, educates and empowers.

This year’s Chesapeake Film Festival will be held from October 3 to October 6, 2019.

On Sunday, March 17 at 6 pm, the 65-voice Schola Cantorum of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey will perform a concert at Christ Church.  The choir will perform a concert of music spanning several centuries.  Included in the program are works by Victoria, Fauré, Brahms and others.  There is no charge for the concert, but a freewill offering will be received.  Doors will open at 5:20 pm, and early arrival is recommended for best seating.

Under the direction of renowned choral conductor and author James Jordan, Schola Cantorum is one of three curricular choirs at Westminster Choir College.  Composed of all students in their second year of study at the college, this ensemble forms a vital link between the technique and artistry gained by students in their first-year experience at the college in the Westminster Chapel Choir and Westminster Symphonic Choir, which performs with many of the world’s finest orchestras and is a cornerstone of the Westminster experience.  The second year of ensemble performance study focuses on refinement of ensemble skills combined with choral literature appropriate to both the musical growth and artistic understanding of the singers in the ensemble.

Westminster Choir College is the only college in the world that focuses its program around a student’s choral experiences.  Unique to this experience is students singing with their class for two years to not only build their artistry but to strengthen their sense of community and what it is to sing together.  This vision was the core value of the institution’s founder, John Finley Williamson.  Westminster Schola Cantorum is also the only curricular choir that annually tours in the spring.  All students in this ensemble study with Westminster’s acclaimed voice faculty, the largest voice faculty in the world.  In their second year of study, students may audition for Westminster’s small ensembles: Westminster Choir, Westminster Williamson Voices, Westminster Kantorei, Westminster Jubilee Singers and Westminster Concert Handbell Choir.  Many of the singers in Schola Cantorum are also members of those ensembles.

The ensemble’s 2018-2019 season includes a concert tour to Maryland and Washington, D.C., participation in Westminster’s annual An Evening of Readings and Carols concert, which is broadcast on WWFM, The Classical Network and concerts on the Westminster campus.  Its 2017-2018 season included a collaboration with Westminster Chapel Choir, performing Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes at the War Memorial in Trenton as part of Westminster’s Transforming Space project, as well as a joint concert at Lincoln Center.

For more information about this or other musical offerings at Christ Church, visit www.christchurcheaston.org or call 410-822-2677.  This concert is sponsored in part by the Talbot County and Maryland State Arts Councils.