Category Archives: Arts

CT Valley Camera Club Hosts Equine Photographer, All Welcome

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An example of photography by Sarah Grote.

The Connecticut Valley Camera Club (CVCC) will host a presentation on Equine Photography by Sarah Grote on Monday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. at the Lymes’ Senior Center, 26 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme. The public is welcomed to attend.

Sarah Grote is a lifestyle and nature photographer specializing in projects, equine, and event photography. After 20 years in corporate and nonprofit companies in various operational, development, and managerial roles, she decided to follow her artistic dreams and visions based on her Mom’s inspirational quote, “celebrate everything”.

Since 2014, Sarah has been the photographer for the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum and the Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue (CDHR). Her photos and paintings were selected for CDHR’s juried art show “Save a Horse – Buy Art!” in 2015 and 2017. Her photography was used for the “Demolish or Preserve: The 1960’s at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion” exhibit, which won the most prestigious award given by the American Association of State and Local History.

In 2018, her photos were selected for three juried shows in the Mystic Museum of Art, the Essex Art Association Gallery, and The Voice of Art Gallery. She has been a board member of the Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue organization since 2015.

The CVCC, which was founded in 2002, has a simple mission — to give its members the opportunity to become better photographers.  The ways that the Club achieves this objective include offering a variety of presentations and workshops to help members expand their technical and creative skills.  During these popular events, members explore such areas as photographic techniques, computer processing, artistic interpretation and commercial applications, often under the tutelage of a professional photographer.

The CVCC welcomes new members at any time. Meetings are generally held on the first Monday of the month at the Lymes’ Senior Center in Old Lyme.  For more information about the CVCC, visit the club’s website at ctvalleycameraclub.smugmug.com.

Meeting dates, speakers and their topics, and other notices are also published on the club’s Facebook page at ww.facebook.com/CTValleyCameraClubPage.

Cappella Cantorum Hosts Late Registration Tonight for December Concert; Includes Works by Puccini, Saint-Saen

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Join the Cappella Cantorum Masterworks Chorus for its first rehearsal of Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and Saint Saens’ Christmas Oratorio this evening, Monday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m., at John Winthrop Middle School, 1 Winthrop Rd., Deep River. Use the rear entrance.

These melodious and inspiring works will be performed in concert Sunday, Dec. 2, at John Winthrop with professional orchestra and soloists. Simon Holt of the Salt Marsh Opera will direct.

Auditions are not required.

Registration is $50 plus music: Puccini $9, Saint-Saens $11. Late registration is the following Monday, Sept. 24, same time and place.

For more information, visit www.CappellaCantorum.org or call 860-526-1038.

See ‘Once’ at Ivoryton Playhouse Through Oct.14

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Katie Barton plays the lead role of Girl in ‘Once,’ which opens Sept. 19 at Ivoryton Playhouse.

The Broadway smash hit Once, has opened at the Ivoryton Playhouse.

On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician about to give up on his dreams and a beautiful young Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story, underscored by emotionally-charged music.

Winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Once is an original theatrical experience. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, Once is an unforgettable story about going for your dreams and the power of music to connect us all.

Based on the 2007 movie of the same name, written by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the show features all of the haunting songs from the critically acclaimed film, including the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly”. This uplifting show strikes an unforgettable chord in audiences and speaks to the power of music to connect us all. As Irglova said in her remarkable Oscar acceptance speech, “Fair play to those who dare to dream and don’t give up.”

Ivoryton welcomes back Ben Hope*, who has performed at Ivoryton in Million Dollar Quartet and Stand by Your Man. Hope is making his directorial debut with this show, which is dear to his heart, since he performed the role of Guy on Broadway many times.  What makes this production special is that Hope is directing his wife, Katie Barton*, in the role of Girl. Barton has also performed in Ivoryton, playing the lead role of Tammy Wynette in Stand by Your Man.

Joining them in this production are Sam Sherwood*, last seen in Ivoryton in The Road — My Life with John Denver, as Guy; Steven G. Anthony* as Billy; Jonathan Brown as Svec; Margaret Dudasik* as Reza; Andreina Kasper as Bank Manager; Marcy McGuigan* as Baruska; John Mervini as Eamon; Morgan Morse as Andre; Rachel Mulcahy as Ex-Girlfriend; Don Noble* as Da; Victoria Wepler as Emcee and Cadyn Malary and Lizzie Pantano as Ivanka.

Musical direction is by Eric Anthony, set design by Glen Bassett, lighting design by Marcus Abbott, and costume design by Cully Long.

Once runs through Oct. 14, 2018.  Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 p. m. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $55 for adults; $50 for seniors; $25 for students and $20 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org 

Group rates are available by calling the box office for information. The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.

*denotes member of Actors Equity.

‘Summer Painting and Sculpture Show’ on View at Lyme Art Association

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‘Barefoot Days’ by Cean Young is the signature painting of the Summer Painting and Sculpture Show, which opens tonight at the LAA.

The Lyme Art Association (LAA) hosts an Opening Reception and Ice Cream Social this evening from 5 to 7 p.m. for its ‘Summer Painting and Sculpture Show,’ which presents LAA members’ finest work, in a variety of genres and mediums.  All are welcome and admission is free.

Juror David Rau of the Florence Griswold Musuem has assembled a wide-ranging show of compelling, peaceful, astonishing, whimsical, and generally delightful work for buyers and viewers.

The ice cream is sponsored by A.C. Petersen Petersen Farms of West Hartford and Old Lyme.

‘A Chorus Line’ Opens at Ivoryton Playhouse

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From left to right, Kayla Starr Bryan, Lili Thomas, Sarah Warrick, Matthew Carp, and Cory Candelet form part of A Chorus Line.

The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning A Chorus Line has opened at the Ivoryton Playhouse.

Stephanie Genito plays Cassie in ‘A Chorus Line.’

Casting for a new Broadway musical is almost complete and for 17 dancers, this audition is the chance of a lifetime and what they’ve worked their whole lives for.A Chorus Line brilliantly evokes both the glamour and grind of showbiz, and is the musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all on the line.

The iconic score features such classics as “What I Did for Love,” “One,” “I Hope I Get It,” and more. With its celebration and true-to-life depiction of performers and their struggle to achieve greatness on the Broadway stage,A Chorus Line has earned unanimous praise as one of the true masterpieces of live theater.

Penned by legendary composer, Marvin Hamlisch,A Chorus Line opened at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway July 25, 1975, directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett. An unprecedented box office and critical hit, the musical received 12 Tony Award nominations and won nine, in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The original Broadway production ran for 6,137 performances, becoming the longest-running production in Broadway history until surpassed by Cats in 1997, and the longest-running Broadway musical originally produced in the U.S., until surpassed in 2011 by Chicago.

Based on real Broadway dancers’ stories, A Chorus Line is funny, heartbreaking, and refreshingly honest and even today remains one of the best loved Broadway shows ever.

Edward Stanley plays Zack in the new production of ‘A Chorus Line’ at the Ivoryton Playhouse.

This production showcases many performers who have made the Playhouse their home over the past few years: Schuyler Beeman*, Ronnie Bowman Jr., Andee Buccheri, Cory Candelet, Stephanie Genito*, Sam Given*, Joey Lucherini, Amanda Lupacchino, Natalie Madlon, Alexa Racioppi, Jared Starkey and Max Weinstein. Performers making their Playhouse debut are Kayla Starr Bryan, Matthew Carp, Dakota Hoar, Liv Kurtz, Lina Lee*, Jennifer Roberts, Edward Stanley*, Cassidy Terracciano, Lili Thomas* and Sarah Warrick.

The production is directed and choreographed by Todd L. Underwood and musical directed by Michael Morris, with set design by Martin Scott Marchitto, lighting design by Marcus Abbott and costume design by Kate Bunce.

A Chorus Line runs through Sept. 2. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Additional matinee performances are on Saturday, Aug. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 1. 

Tickets are $55 for adults; $50 for seniors; $25 for students and $20 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting www.ivorytonplayhouse.org 

Group rates are available by calling the box office for information. The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.

*denotes member of Actors Equity

Photos courtesy of Ivoryton Playhouse.