Category: Arts

Steel River Playhouse holds open house this weekend

This comes to us from the effervescent marketeer and harpist Betsy Chapman!

Steel River Playhouse, formerly Tri-County Performing Arts Center (Tri-PAC), is holding an open house this weekend to showcase their educational offerings. Steel River seeks to strengthen community, inspire creative exploration, educate, and entertain, through the presentation of quality performing arts events and education for diverse audiences. Each year, the Steel River Playhouse produces more than 90 performances and hosts more than 10,000 people as audiences, students, artists, donors and volunteers from throughout the region. They offer performance opportunities through open auditions; theater technical training; acting, voice, and instrumental lessons; classes and workshops for all ages; summer camp programs; and educational outreach including scholarships, artists in the classroom, traveling children’s shows, and other initiatives. Steel River is located at 245 E. High Street in the heart of downtown Pottstown. For further information, visit www.steelriver.org, or call 610-970-1199.

 

Classes & Private Lessons

STUDENT OPEN HOUSE & REGISTRATION

Saturday, Sept 8th & Sunday, Sept 9th (11 am – 3 pm)

FREE Trial lessons, mini classes, refreshments, tours, and giveaways!

ALL ages

See our NEW marquee and take a tour!

Saturday, Sept 8th

Sunday, Sept 9th

Free Trial Lessons

Voice, Guitar & Acting

11am to 3pm

Free Trial Lessons

Voice, Guitar, Acting & Piano  

11am to 3pm

Free Mini-Classes

11:30am – Comedy/Improv (Grade 5 – 7)

12N – Acting (Grade 5 – 7)

12:30pm – Comedy/Improv (Grade 8 – Adult)

1pm – Comedy/Improv (Grade K – 4)

1:30pm – Acting (Grade 8 – Adult)

Free Mini-Classes

11:30am – Acting (Grade K – 4)

12N – Acting (Grade K – 4)

12:30pm – Acting (Grade 5 – 7)

1pm – Comedy/Improv (Grade 8 – Adult)

1:30 – Comedy/Improv (Grade 5 – 7)

Classes – Sept 17th thru Nov 18th

 Character in Song, Comedy/Improv, Acting for the Stage

Performance Troupes (Grades 2 – 4, 5 – 7, 8 – 12)

And more!  Financial Aid is Available     

Private Lessons begin September 10th  

Acting, Monologue Coaching, Voice, Piano, Guitar, Flute, and Trumpet

Special Guest Instructor – Ken Kaissar – Private Acting

Wednesdays and Sundays, starting in October

BFA Theatre (Directing), Carnegie Mellon University; MFA Theatre (Playwriting), Columbia University. Ken’s directing work has been seen in New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Chicago. His work on new plays has been seen at the Culture Project’s Women’s Center Stage Festival and the Philly Fringe Festival. His productions of THE TRUE AUTHOR REVEALED and THE MYSTERIES OF THE MONK OF FALCONARA led to publication of both plays in the BEST PLAYS ANTHOLOGY published by Applause. His play A MODEST SUGGESTION just finished a very successful Off-Broadway run; and CEASEFIRE was an official selection for Fusion Theatre Company’s New Works Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ken teaches playwriting and theatre history at Rider University and Stockton College.

Questions? Email Steve Reazor, Education Director, at steve@steelriver.org or call 610.970.1199.

 

 

One Day Only!

ANN GILLETTE – PRIVATE ON-CAMERA COACHING

Saturday, Oct 6th (10 am – 3 pm by appt)

Specializing in commercial, TV, and film audition and acting techniques

Ann Gillette has created a following as one of the top on-camera acting coaches on the East Coast. She coaches actors on a weekly basis for major television, film and commercial auditions. She is a ‘first call’ of top agents and managers who need their actors to push themselves to a bookable level. Ann has worked in casting and as a producer for the past 16 years, on hundreds of television, film and commercial projects. She began her career with Wickline Casting in Philadelphia in the early ‘90s, where she worked on nationwide talent searches for Spelling Television and NBC Daytime, movies like “The Long Kiss Goodnight” with Geena Davis and Sam Jackson, and “Broadway Brawler” with Bruce Willis, and national commercials for “Best Buy”, “McDonalds” and “Verizon”. After leaving Wickline, she freelanced as a producer and worked on national media pieces for shows like “Hard Copy” and “Access Hollywood”, and produced regional TV shows like “The Fretz Kitchen” and “Scene 8. She has continued her work with many production companies and ad agencies with credits such as commercials for GIANT, Thermador and Lancaster County Tourism.

One-hour private sessions: $75

To register, email Steve Reazor, Education Director, at steve@steelriver.org or call 610.970.1199.

36th Annual Hay Creek Festival on tap this weekend

I’m posting this on behalf of my neighbor Jack, who is a volunteer with the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association. They’re holding their annual Hay Creek Festival beginning today and running through this weekend, and it looks awesome!

From their website: “Our Association was organized in 1975 with an objective  to support and demonstrate, to foster interest in and appreciation for our local heritage, and to provide a living experience of Berks County’s rich agricultural and technological past. In 1979 Bethlehem Steel donated historic Joanna Furnace to the Hay Creek Valley Association and our organization took on a new challenge of preserving a treasured piece of America’s past. Today the organization is 1,000 members strong and relies on volunteer efforts and donations to preserve the history of Joanna Furnace.”

Experience early American life at historic Joanna Furnace. The Hay Creek Festival runs from today, September 7 through September 9 (rain or shine). Attractions run from 10 am to 5 pm – Shuttle runs 7 am to 6 pm.

The Festival includes a Civil War Encampment , Home Craft & Antique Market, Children’s Hands-On Activities,
Mechanical Technology Exhibits, Early American Crafts, Entertainment, Homemade Food (Mabel’s kettle soups, Schnitz Un Knepp/Apples & Ham, Ice Cream Floats, Apple Butter, Mint Tea, and Hamburgers & Hot Dogs. Visitors can start their day at the Hay Creek Festival with an Ironmaster’s Pancake & Sausage Breakfast. This “rise and shine” breakfast is served Saturday and Sunday morning from 7 to 10 am in the Joanna Furnace Mule Stable. Please note: Food Tickets are needed to purchase food items. Ticket booths are placed conveniently throughout the festival grounds and can be redeemed prior to leaving the event. Check out the website for many more details!

Event Information

Admission:
Adults: $10.00
Children(6-12): $2.00
Children 5 and under: FREE
Click here to receive a discount admission coupon.  Each coupon is good for two adults.

Festival Time:
Main Attractions 10 am to 5 pm
Shuttle Busses Run 7 am to 6 pm
The festival is held rain or shine.

Parking:
FREE Parking is available to all festival visitors. Parking is located on a large field along Route 10 just south of the festival grounds. Follow signs. Visitors will ride our Free bus service to and from the festival ground.

For your safety and by order of the local police we ask that you do not park along Route 10. As an alternative free parking is available along Furnace Road.

Handicap Parking – Located on the festival grounds. Follow signs posted on Rt. 10, exit at Furnace Rd.

Visitors will be allowed to drive on-site to pickup large purchase items. Be sure to ask the vendor where you buy your large articles for a temporary on-site parking pass.

Hay Creek Festival Parking GPS Directions:  740 Harmony Road, Morgantown PA 19543

 

National Art Tour opens at Art Fusion 19464 TODAY!

 ArtFusion 19464, formerly The Gallery School of Pottstown@ Gallery on High, is kicking off its re-branding campaign today, September 7th, with an amazing art exhibit that has been traveling throughout the south and was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show in February 2011.

Threads of a Story: Continued features the work of artist Charlotta Janssen, who was inspired by mug shots of
famous–and non famous–people arrested during the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. The swearing in of the first black president of the United States in 2009 was a catalyst for the artist, and Threads evolved as a way to visually thank participants of the civil rights movement for their work and dedication that made the moment possible.

Janssen specifically honors Bus Boycotters from 1956 and Freedom Riders from 1961. The artist’s goals are to transport the viewer back to these moments in our country’s history, to create a living history and bring awareness to a collective
consciousness where segregation seemed normal and fighting it was a daunting task. To realize these goals, Janssen re-imagines the mug shots of her subjects using oil, acrylic, rust and collage. Mug shots are normally portraits of shame, but in those belonging to the Bus Boycotters and Freedom Riders, she sees their heroism, determination and courage.

The exhibit at the Gallery will feature eight brand new portraits in this incredible series, including new portraits of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. Also on display will be giclee prints of 15 of her portraits from the original series. The show will open with a private reception on September 7 and then the show will be open to the public from September 8 through October 20, 2012 during normal Gallery hours. Educational field trips for local school and groups can also be arranged. Interested groups should email info@galleryonhigh.com or call 610-326-2506 for more information.

Charlotta Janssen was born in Maine to German parents living in America under the Marshall plan. In 1973, her family moved to Iran, which they fled during the revolution in 1979. Janssen studied painting at the University of Arts in Berlin from 1986-1989, dropping out to travel the world as a street musician and performance artist. To make sense of all of these experiences, she returned to painting in 1991 with a clear voice that was no longer searching but finding. She currently lives and paints augmented portraiture in Brooklyn, NY.

ArtFusion 19464 (formerly The Gallery School of Pottstown) is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art school and gallery. The School offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. The Gallery on High hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The Gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The Gallery on High is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-4:30pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The Gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

Art Fusion 19464
254 E. High St.
Pottstown, PA  19464
610-326-2506
info@artfusion19464.org
www.artfusion19464.org

MCCC to Host Ninth Annual Scenes of Schuylkill River Heritage Area Art Show

As with the prior two posts, this comes to us via the prolific Alana Mauger, Communications Director for Montgomery County Community College.

Montgomery County Community College will host the Ninth Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area Art Show from Aug. 29 through Oct. 19 at the West Campus Art Gallery, North Hall, 16 High St., Pottstown.

An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 19, from 5-7 p.m., and will include refreshments and live music. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

Sponsored by the Schuylkill River National & State Heritage Area, the art show features 76 original pieces of artwork done in a variety of styles and media. The artwork highlights the beauty and unique aspects of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area—a 1.2 million-acre area that includes the Schuylkill River watershed within Schuylkill, Berks, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Dawn at Valley Forge by Catherine Grygiel

Artist Catherine Grygiel, Souderton, won Best of Show for her pastel “Dawn at Valley Forge.” She will receive $300 and an award of distinction valued at $1,000 from North Penn Art, Lansdale, for the creation of giclee prints of her work.

Second place with a $200 prize went to Jonathan Bond, Kempton, Berks County, for his oil on wood panel, “Carousel,” and third place with a $100 prize went to Materese Roche, Buckingham, Bucks County, for her oil on canvas, “Sunset Over the Grasslands.”

Four honorable mentions were awarded to: Rich Sassaman for his acrylic, “High School Runner;” Sherry McVickar for her oil, “English Style Schuylkill River Barn;” Lori Quinque-Quinn for the oil painting “Hunsberger’s Used Cars;” and David W. Thomas for his silver gel photograph “Foundation.”

 This year’s juror, Ross L. Mitchell, executive director of the Violette de Mazia Foundation, Wayne, selected the winning entries.

“It was a pleasure judging the Schuylkill River Heritage Area Art Show this year,” said Mitchell, who started his career as a painter and studied at the Barnes Foundation with Violette de Mazia. “The final selections were all of high quality and portrayed a wonderful cross-section of views of the diversity of the Schuylkill River area. Artists reinterpret our surrounding environment and let us see it anew through their unique and individual lens.”

Mitchell previously served as the Gallery Director at the Barnes Foundation in Merion Station where he led the $13 million renovation of the gallery. He was also Senior Associate for Viart Corporation, a Manhattan based art-consulting firm. Currently, he is the president of the Philadelphia Sketch Club, serves as a commissioner on the Lower Merion Historical Commission and as a board member of the Lower Merion Historical Society.

Most works are available for sale, and a portion of all proceeds benefits the Schuylkill River Heritage Area.      

Gallery hours are: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information contact, the SRHA at 484-945-0200 or MCCC Galleries Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349, hcairns@mc3.edu.

The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, managed by the non-profit Schuylkill River Greenway Association, uses conservation, education, recreation, cultural and historic preservation and tourism as tools for community revitalization and economic development. For more information about the SRHA visit www.schuylkillriver.org.

2j Photography wants to make mark in Pottstown

  Photographer Joanna Floyd was born and raised in South Carolina and moved to Pottstown about six years ago. Her new business, 2j Photography, is now open for business.

What does 2j stand for? They are the first initials of Joanna and her husband, although it’s primarily her business.

“I have found that Pottstown has been so welcoming and has a great sense of unity,” she said. “One thing that has amazed me is everyone in Pottstown is so open to networking and working together as a community. That’s the reason I want to make my mark here.”

Joanna has always had a passion for photography, but only as a hobby until recently. She started doing freelance photography about six months ago, without formal schooling in the field. She was mentored by other photographers and taught herself through trial and error. She prefers to shoot in natural light on location.

One of her first gigs, which is ongoing, is capturing activities and events at Pottstown Karate/Crossfit, located at 21 N. Hanover Street. “Robert Matthews’  whole team has been so helpful and supportive, and it’s been a great learning experience,” said Floyd. “I shoot their events as well as participate in the Crossfit program.”
Floyd’s photography has also featured models, artists, musicians, fitness classes, and outdoor events. 2jPhotography offers specials for businesses. For more information, call 610/350/5268 or visit their website at www.2jphotography.zenfolio.com

Let’s support our Boyertown “Buy Local” advocates!

Heidi Bostelle Bauer has been a huge advocate for Pottstown’s Cash Mob and Buy Local initiatives. She is spearheading the same kinds of activities in downtown Boyertown. If you have a chance to get over there tomorrow afternoon, go for it. Strong local businesses = strong communities!

Pottstown’s Riverfest 2013 committee forming now; meeting this Wed. at 7 pm

Hey, everyone! Come get involved, or just come out and learn about what’s going on here in Pottstown!

The Riverfest 2013 committee is forming now and meeting this Wednesday August 15th at 7pm at the new Visitors’ Center at 17 N. Hanover Street.

Sheila Dugan, Main Street Manager, will lead the meeting. Come one, come all! This is not a commitment, just a first meeting to see what ideas people have and, if you wish, you can volunteer to help out as well! Food will be served!

Call Sheila with any questions at 610-323-5400.

Gallery School & Pottstown Regional Public Library team up for Beef ‘n Beer fundraiser

Join us on 

Saturday, August 11

from 6-9pm
BBBBII logo

A joint fundraiser benefiting the non-profit Gallery School  

and the Pottstown Regional Public Library

Great music from DJ Pete LaRosa

Win amazing door prizes 

Try your luck with a 50/50 raffle

Food by Grumpy’s:  Hot roast beef sandwiches  * green salad  * pasta salad w/ sundried tomato dressing  *  black bean & barley salad  *  vegetarian wraps

Sly Fox beer, water, and soda

Homemade desserts 
$20 per person

Or stop by 254 E. High St!
Tickets are also available at the Library.

Company Cakes Sticky Buns: Short and Sweet

Plain & Raisin Sticky Buns

Due to some unfathomable mix-up and confusion on my part, I did not realize Company Cakes was still selling their famous sticky buns on Sunday mornings. Yesterday, on my way downtown to the fabulously successful Sidewalk Sale organized by PDIDA, I saw a sign announcing the sale of said sticky buns on Sunday beginning at 8 am. I stopped in to double-check and, sure enough, the sticky buns are on, I was told.

I didn’t exactly count down the hours, but the thought of a really good sticky bun crossed my mind many, many times the rest of the day and was the last thought I had before falling asleep last night, and the first thought this morning when I woke up. It was just about 8:15 this morning that I was back in Company Cakes, where owner Mark Neiman was serving up his sticky, yeasty creations. I was shocked to hear the prices: $1 for a plain and $1.25 for a raisin or nut sticky bun. I got one plain one, took it home, and dug in with a knife and fork. It was still warm. It had melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Really, it’s almost incomprehensible, the deliciousness. Look at the photos. Go get some for yourself. And, at those prices, get some for a few of your loved ones. They’ll love you all the more.

Company Cakes: 26 N Charlotte St  Pottstown, PA 19464, 610-705-9450
Nut Buns

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