Connecting with the Arts – September 2021

Welcome back to the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County’s monthly blog series, Connecting with the Arts,  where we feature news and updates from the arts community in Anne Arundel County. Tune in the last Friday of each month to connect and learn more about the arts organizations that are making an impact locally.

New season, new art programs! We can’t believe fall is here. Time is certainly not slowing down, but neither is the arts community. Prepare yourself for a post filled with a ton of news and happenings around the county!

Here’s a look into this months post:

• Grab your beach chairs, umbrellas, blankets, and kick-back while enjoying Tony Spencer & The Sunset Band at MC3, the final performance of the series!
• Enjoy a Family Concert by the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra.
• Meet Encore Creativity for Older Adults new Artistic Director.
• Building Better People Productions announces their Fall touring show, Feeling All The Feelings!
• Come experience Shakespeare’s most famous tale of “star-crossed lovers” at the Classic Theatre of Maryland.
• Join Children’s Theatre of Annapolis for an Open House to see what CTA is all about!
• Historic Annapolis, in partnership with philanthropist and Maryland native David M. Rubenstein and the Maryland State Archives, is pleased to share with Annapolis a special exhibition this fall.
• Grab your tickets for Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s performances of Giselle and The Nutcracker.
• Chesapeake Art Center’s signature free outdoor art festival returns with live performances, art, vendors, hands-on arts workshops, food trucks and fun for the entire family.
• Maryland Hall shares their recent fundraiser success and a new mural on campus!
• Hammond-Harwood House has several events to mark on our calendars this October.
• For 24 years, The Captain Avery Museum Oyster Festival has been a Community Celebration – see what’s in store this year!
• Classes, workshops, sketch nights, open studio…ArtFarm is buzzing again!

You can connect and learn more about these organizations by clicking their logos below. We hope you enjoy!

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MC3 Concert Series: October 8 | Tony Spencer & The Sunset Band

Grab your beach chairs, umbrellas, blankets, and kick-back while enjoying LIVE outdoor performances again at MC3’s outdoor venue StageOne.

For the final performance of the series, enjoy traditional and contemporary jazz and r & b with Tony Spencer and The Sunset Band.

Food and drinks from multiple on-site vendors will be available including the famous Annapolis Tiki bar! Guests will not be permitted to bring their own food or alcohol into the venue.

Doors open at 5:30 PM and the concert begins at 6:00 PM. Get your tickets here!

Halloween Spooktacular!
A Family Concert by the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra

The Londontowne Symphony Orchestra will offer its annual fun-filled Halloween concert on Sunday, October 17, at 3pm at Maryland Hall, 801 Chase St. in Annapolis. Kids, adults and orchestra members can choose to wear their finest costume to this family-oriented concert and participate in a costume contest with prizes.

The music will follow the Halloween theme with selections from Little Mermaid, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Star Wars and more.

In addition, the LSO will be recognizing the great work that local Rotary Clubs do in our community. Whether it is providing grants to worthy local organization, dictionaries to third graders, assistance at food pantries, keeping young trees alive at a new library, or keeping used books alive by sending them to underserved parts of the world, a Rotarian will be involved with service above themselves. There are 62 Rotary clubs in the mid-Maryland and Washington DC area with over 2,100 members, and the LSO is proud to recognize them for their positive involvement in each of their local communities.

For more information visit www.lso-music.org.

Encore Creativity Announces New Artistic Director

Encore Creativity Corporation, Inc., is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian J. Isaac as the new Artistic Director for the organization. Isaac will be onboard beginning September 7, 2021 to fill the vacancy of retiring Founder and Artistic Director, Jeanne Kelly.

“The Board of Directors of Encore is very pleased to present Brian Isaac as the new Artistic Director of Encore,” said Anthony Tambasco, President. “Those who participated in Encore University last fall already met Brian in the courses he offered. He is smart, well organized, impeccably trained, experienced, sensitive in his work with chorales, and committed to the mission of Encore Creativity. We welcome him and look forward to his taking over the leadership of our many chorales.” Read Full Press Release Here!

Building Better People Productions is excited to announce our Fall touring show, Feeling All The Feelings!

Written by and starring our founding artistic director, Lynne Streeter Childress this brand-new original show is available to come to schools, libraries, and other groups, both in-person and virtually! In this funny, emotional, interactive one-person play, Building Better People Productions explores the enormous range of kids’ emotions, the pressure they feel to be accepted, and the awesomeness that comes from feeling ALL of your feelings. Our play was written with the advice and input of professionals in child mental and physical health. Run-time: 40-minute show and 15-minute post-show workshop. Comes with a Teacher’s Guide.

The show is geared toward PK-5th graders, and also comes with a separate in-school residency that further explores the themes of the show. All of this was made possible through a Fall 2021 Mini-grant from the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County. For more information, go to bbpproductions.com/2021-22-touring-show-feeling-all-the-feelings/, and to book a show, contact us at [email protected] or 443-906-0099.

ROMEO AND JULIET
October 8 – October 31, 2021

Come experience Shakespeare’s most famous tale of “star-crossed lovers” who defy the feud that divides their families and are driven toward tragedy. We are excited to reimagine a masterwork that has long captured the souls of artists and the hearts of audiences around the world.

Tickets are available HERE!

Join Children’s Theatre of Annapolis for an Open House. Come see what CTA is all about!

Get the behind the scene tour of our theatre and learn more about our productions, education programs, volunteer opportunities and sponsorship ideas. There are many ways to be involved and we need you to keep our 60+ theatre running!

Questions? Contact us at [email protected] or 410-757-2281.

We will see you there!

Historic Annapolis, in partnership with philanthropist and Maryland native David M. Rubenstein and the Maryland State Archives, is pleased to share with Annapolis a special exhibition this fall.

Founding Freedoms: The Essential American Documents is on display and accessible to the public in the rotunda of the Maryland State House from September 10 to November 14, 2021. The State House is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm and entry is free of charge.

Visitors have the rare opportunity to see, all at once, the four most important founding documents in American history. Founding Freedoms consists of 18th- and 19th-century printings of the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, and Bill of Rights presented in a historical context alongside the State House’s permanent display of George Washington’s hand-written 1783 Resignation Speech. Together, these four documents tell the story of the formation of the United States from the patriotic ideals of the Thirteen Colonies in the Revolutionary War to the democratic principles of the Founding Generation in their creation of our government.

Historic Annapolis is pleased to offer several ways to enhance your viewing experience at the exhibition. Visit annapolis.org/other/founding-freedoms-the-essential-american-documents to learn more about visiting, guided tours, and group tours for Founding Freedoms.

Individual tickets for Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s performances of Giselle and The Nutcracker are on sale now!

On Oct. 22-24, the curtain will rise at Maryland Hall for the Arts on Giselle, one of the most popular Romantic ballets of all time. The Nutcracker, with choreography by former artistic director Dianna Cuatto, will provide magic and wonder to the holiday season Dec. 11-12 & 18-19 at Maryland Hall. Tickets can be purchase at www.balletmaryland.org.

Subscriptions for our 2021-2022 season are still on sale. To purchase a virtual subscription, please visit www.balletmaryland.org. To purchase an in person subscription, please call 410-224-5644.

Photo is by Joanne Marie Photography

Arts in the Park | October 2nd

Chesapeake Art Center’s signature free outdoor art festival returns with live performances, art, vendors, hands-on arts workshops, food trucks and fun for the entire family. Don’t miss the kick off to our 20th Anniversary celebration. Featuring live performances from Alison Thoms & Hardnett Seven, Old Eastern Band, the Grilled Lincolns, DJ Bunny, and The Encounter LLC, DBA School of Magic Arts. The festival is held in front of our Hammonds Lane Theater on October 2nd from 10am-3pm.

Chesapeake Arts Center | 194 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, Md

Rain date: October 3rd, 10am-3pm

Tickets are free, but please register here.

Keep up with the Chesapeake Arts Center:
Website | Facebook | Instagram

Maryland Hall: Fundraiser Success and a New Mural on Campus!

Maryland Hall kicked off the Annapolis arts season with the return of its biggest fundraiser of the year, Arts Alive! on Friday, September 10. This year’s guests spent “A Night Under the Stars” celebrating the power of the arts and community and raising over $100,000 for MD Hall’s Art for All mission. Board Chair Debbie Mayer, Honorary Event Chair Senator Sarah Elfreth and First Lady Yumi Hogan warmly welcomed guests back to the Hall for an exciting season of shows and programming. Dramatic lighting and live music set the scene for dancing, drinks and dining on the Hall’s front lawn.

In time for the season, a new mural has been completed on the Maryland Hall/Bates Middle School campus. The “One Annapolis” mural is a reimagining of the original piece painted in 2013 by Jovenes Artistas, a part of Maryland Hall’s Outreach program made up of Bates Middle schoolers. Now 8 years later, Jovenes Artistas (featuring two of the SAME artists from the original piece) teamed up with Jeff Huntington and Julia Gibb’s Future History Now, Anne Arundel County Public School’s PVA magnet program under the direction of Emily Miller, Comacell Brown and Deonte Ward to create a one of a kind collaborative piece representing “One Annapolis” Like the original, the mural reads “Art is el lenguaje universal” (Art is the universal language).

A corresponding ArtReach Exhibit in the Martino Gallery features the story of the mural along with individual pieces by the artists. Additionally, the Chaney Gallery has reopened to feature a community project by Mēlani Naim. Naim’s project “Color Stories: A Community Conversation on Color” was introduced during Annapolis Arts Week. The hallway galleries feature new works by Fearless Girls Photography and students in the ArtReach Empower program.

Stretch and Sketch
FREE Yoga & Drawing at the Hammond-Harwood House garden.
Saturday, October 2, from 10:30 a.m to 12:00 p.m
Free thanks to The Winifred M. Gordon Foundation. Part of the Art & Wellness series.

In the second program of the Art and Wellness Series, Stretch and Sketch, you will:

• View and discuss a painting of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale.
• Choose a painting in the museum’s first floor and sketch while discussing drawing techniques (materials provided).
  Do a stretching session in the garden with breathing techniques to help promote good posture and relieve stress.

Megan Houst will be guiding a gentle yoga flow, accessible for all-levels. The practice will be focused to help students tap into their creativity, and connect deeper with mind, body, and soul. Please dress comfortably, bring a mat or a towel and any other props that you use to honor your practice.

St. Anne’s Cemetery Tour
Saturday, October 9, from 11:00 a.m to 12:30 p.m
Price: $20 | Members: $10

Did you know that several of the Hammond-Harwood House’s former occupants are buried in St. Anne’s cemetery?
On this cemetery tour, visitors will discover the fascinating lives of the men and women who called the great house home. Stories of love, tragedy, and insanity will be unearthed in this hour-long tour through the winding hills of the burying ground.

Participants will receive a half hour admission ticket to the Hammond-Harwood House Museum.
The Tour begins at the cemetery entrance, between Northwest Street and College Creek. 20% of the profits go towards preservation of St. Anne’s Cemetery.

“All My Coat of Arms China”: Armorial Ceramics in the Chesapeake
Wednesday, October 20 at 2 p.m
FREE, online presentation by Ron Fuchs, Senior Curator of Ceramics, Washington & Lee University.

In memory of Hammond-Harwood House Museum’s late President Reverend Richardson (Dick) Armstrong Libby Jr. (1932-2020).
Coats of arms, cyphers, monograms, and other insignia have long been used on ceramics to show ownership, status, identity, and pride. From the very beginning of permanent English settlement in 1607, armorial items were present on the tables of wealthy families of the Chesapeake. This talk will provide an overview of the history of coats of arms, a quick primer on how to decipher a coat of arms, and a survey of armorial ceramics in the seventeenth and eighteenth century Chesapeake region.

Pumpkin Walk Reimagined
Thursday, October 28 and Friday, October 29 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m
Price per child: $10 | Members: $5

Are you looking for something fun and different to do with the whole family this Halloween season? Families are invited to make some memories at the historic Hammond-Harwood House Museum at our annual Pumpkin Walk, which has been a staple in Annapolis for over twenty years! Families will begin by enjoying a superstitions tour of the mansion to learn about curious customs of the 18th century. The fun will continue with a parade and end with activity stations in our fenced-in garden: witch storytelling, pumpkin toss, and a take-home craft. Costumes encouraged!

For 24 years, The Captain Avery Museum Oyster Festival has been a Community Celebration! It is always a great time; with lots of fresh oysters, music, fun, and games! From 12:30 to 5 PM on Saturday, October 16, the grounds and museum of Captain Avery Museum will be turned into a waterside extravaganza. Admission is $10 for Adults and $5 for Children. This year, there are a few new twists.

We’ll welcome back Tim and Savannah Finch and the Eastman String Band with sweet vocals and amazing musicians. In the boat house, Hat Trix will also be doing an encore. They are a classic rock band with blues guitar and a 5-string cello bass.

New this year… we are joined by the Oyster Boys, who love to share their music and stories of life on the Chesapeake Bay. Along with original music and songs of the area, they recount their slightly modified history of the Bay. These boys cross musical genres from swing to waltzes, and from island rhythms to good ol’ rock-and-roll!

What would you do with $5,000?  Try your hand for just $5 to win the $5,000 Raffle and help Captain Avery Museum continue to offer events and services at little to no cost. You do not need to be present to win but be sure to keep your stubs and fill out your contact information!

Captain Avery made his living by oystering here in the Bay and selling his oysters up in Baltimore. You won’t have to go that far to get a taste of these succulent bivalves! This year, in partnership with the Anne Arundel Watermen’s Association, we have gathered lots of bushels of fresh Bay oysters. They are delicious raw, with sauce, or in a shooter!

If raw oysters aren’t your favorite, we have two great restaurants for you to enjoy. Skipper’s Pier will serve food from their renowned menu, and Chesapeake Grille will have its crab soups, burgers and hotdogs. Top it off with a beer from Forward Brewing. Wine, soda and water will be available from Captain Avery’s bars. Delicious, brewed coffee from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Co. will be the perfect drink to enjoy with the wonderful cookies and cakes of the Avery Bake Sale.

Choose It!, an area-wide favorite, will once again be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 12:30 PM on October 16. Here’s your chance to purchase unique entertainment (like Herman’s Hermits at Rams Head), gourmet dinners (like a Crab Feast at Silver Water, or a homecooked Italian Dinner), family vacations (on the coast of Maine), airplane rides and much, much more. Thanks to our generous donors, all Choose It! sales benefit Captain Avery Museum.

Some vital community groups, like the Anne Arundel Watermen’s Association, the Project Oyster West River, and the Community Alliance of South County, will join us that day. We support our community!

Kids will enjoy free crafts – decorating a picture frame or painting an oyster shell. They can also get in touch with their inner-pirate – posing at our selfie-spots.

And, Oh Yeah, we are a museum! Visit our newly-reopened museum that day, and learn more about Three Centuries of Chesapeake History. Come early, leave happy!

Our Rain date is Sunday, October 17^th

ArtFarm is buzzing again!

In person classes are starting next week for kids and adults. This semester for the kids there is Graphic Design, Stop Animation, 3D Sculpture and Theater classes to choose from.

For the adults, there are workshops such as Improv, Abstract Painting, & Virtual Botanical Drawing classes. No experience is ever needed to take a class here, so try something new or refine your skills, it’s just what you need right now in this busy world, a moment to slow down and create for fun.

Also this Fall, the Monthly Sketch Night is back! It’s a time for adults to work on their drawing skills with a live model for a two hour session. It’s always a fun time with good tunes and great company.

A new offering to come this Fall will be an open studio for adults and teens. The teens will have the studio all to themselves on Wednesday evenings, but the time for the adult open studio is still up for debate, so if you want to participate and have a big open space to work, let them know when is the best time for you. Once they hear from enough interested people, dates will be announced with the aim to have it be a weekly offering. Email Alison your preference: [email protected]

Finally, Neil Harpe’s newest works are on the wall and they just celebrated with a great opening reception. The work will be up til early November, so stop by and see it for yourself (appointments encouraged) or stay tuned for an online gallery where you can browse the works (and purchase) right from your couch.  Stay up to date with all things ArtFarm, find out more about their classes and events at www.artfarmannapolis.com or follow them on social media @artfarmannapolis.