Category: Arts

Free Winter Art Program for Kids

The application deadline for the next session of free art programs for children
at The Gallery School of Pottstown is January 14.

Kids Art Academy is an arts exploration program for children ages 8-12. Students explore many mediums and techniques, from drawing and painting to mosaics and glass fusing.

Clay Academy is a ceramic arts program for the same age group. Students in this program will get experience in hand building as well as using a pottery wheel.

Both programs are funded by the Greater Pottstown Foundation and are free for the students, with the exception of a small registration fee once they are accepted into the program.  While preference is given to those students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, all students are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more information and an application, please visit the Gallery School’s website at
www.galleryonhigh.org, or visit their 254 E. High St. location. Questions can be
emailed to info@galleryonhigh.com, or asked over the phone at 610-326-2506.

The Gallery School of Pottstown is a 501c3 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.

The Gallery School of Pottstown
@Gallery on High
254 E. High St.
Pottstown, PA  19464
610-326-2506
www.galleryonhigh.org

IMPROV and OPEN HOUSE EVENTS KICK OFF 2012 AT TRI-PAC

Looking for a way to kick off the New Year by learning something new, or with an evening full of surprises, fun and creativity?   Join the excitement at the Tri-County Performing Arts Center, 245 E. High Street, Pottstown, as the  exciting winter session of classes are unveiled and  the N Crowd provides an evening of fast-paced improvisational theater!

The fun begins with an OPEN HOUSE on Saturday, January 7th from 11 AM until 5 PM.  Then visit one of Pottstown’s eateries and come back to the theater for a performance of the N Crowd at 8 PM!   Can’t make it Saturday?  The Educational OPEN HOUSE will continue on Sunday from 11 AM until 5 PM.

The N Crowd is a professional short form improvisational troupe that has been performing weekly inPhiladelphiasince 2005. Performers include Pottstown’s own BJ Ellis! At each show, the N-Crowd plays a series of games and scenes based on suggestions from the audience. There are no scripts, no props, and nowhere to run! The N Crowd was selected by Fox 29’s Hot List as the Best Comedy Club in Philadelphia in 2008 and finished 2nd place in the same category in 2009. Currently, they perform at the Actors Center in Philadelphia.

The audience is an important part of the show, providing the suggestions and cheering the cast on as they tackle a variety of topics.  Be a part of the fun TODAY, Saturday, January 7th at 8 PM.  Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and $13 for children 12 and under.  Parental guidance is suggested for this show.  Tickets may be purchased at www.tripac.org, or at the door the night of the show if available.  As always, there are discounts for groups of 10 or more.

At the Education Open House you can register for Group Classes and Private Lessons for ages 3 through senior citizens. Group classes include acting, comedy improv, scene study, audition techniques, music, voice, storybook character play and age-based performance troupes. Private instruction includes acting, voice, piano, guitar, flute, music therapy, and monologue coaching.  Check the website, www.tripac.org, for full class descriptions and times.

Get ready for a great Winter season with the N Crowd, “Goldilocks”, “Ain’t Misbehavin”, “Toys In The Attic”, “Farragut North”, performances by the Melange Contemporary Dance Company and the Senior Follies, all leading up to a great musical in June.  There’s something for everyone at the Tri-County Performing Arts Center!

Village Productions is a dynamic performing arts organization founded in 2001 by a dedicated team of performing artists, arts educators, and area residents who dreamed of creating new and highly accessible performing arts opportunities for the community.  Village Productions seeks to strengthen community, inspire creative exploration, educate, and entertain, through the presentation of quality performing arts events and educational opportunities geared toward a diverse audience.  You may contact Village Productions through their website at www.tripac.org, or by telephone at 610-970-1199.

Still shopping? Unique gifts can be found in downtown Pottstown.

Farmers' Market, High & Charlotte

Procrastinator that I am, I got a huge amount of shopping done on  just a couple of blocks of High Street yesterday afternoon. The Gallery on High… Weitzenkorn’s… Fine Wine & Good Spirits… and The Farmers’ Market. Yes, the Farmers’ Market vendors have gift certificates so you can give the gift of fresh, local food. Stop in to see Grumpy’s Sandwiches, Freeland Market, J&H Produce, Mosteller’s Seafood, Wegman’s Deli, and Pottstown Florist. You might want to wind up your shopping at Weitzenkorn’s; they were serving wine and cheese and they provide free gift wrapping. They’ve got a beautiful selection, knowledgeable and friendly service, and some items were reduced 40%!

There are many other shopping options throughout town… Company Cakes on Charlotte Street, gift certificates to restaurants like Henry’s, Funky Lil Kitchen, the Brickhouse, and Juan Carlos Fine Mexican. How about a gift certificate from Belle Rouge or Emilie’s or something special for that special someone from Jean’s Lingerie? And don’t forget The Milkman Lunch Company & Cake Shoppe, tickets to the Tri-PAC, or lessons from High Street Music Company and The Ballroom on High!

Don’t forget to check out the websites and give a call to confirm hours today, Christmas Eve!

Family fun in Pottstown this afternoon

This afternoon at 3 pm is your last chance to take the family to A CHRISTMAS STORY at the Tri-County Performing Arts Center, 254 E. High St., Pottstown. This is a classic holiday tale of the mischievous, be-speckled young boy, Ralphie, who dreams of getting a BB-gun for Christmas. In the weeks before the big holiday, Ralphie and his friends and family get into all kinds of sticky situations – including a bully with yellow eyes, a tongue stuck to a lamp post, a bar of soap in the mouth, a garish major award, and a Chinese Christmas dinner. Based on the humorist Jean Shepherd’s novel “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash”, A CHRISTMAS STORY is the perfect holiday treat for the whole family! Tickets are $21 for adults, $19 for seniors and students, and $15 for children 12 & under.

And Twelfth Night Tours at Pottsgrove Manor are running through Sun., Jan. 8 during regular museum hours, which are Tues.-Sat. 10 am to 4 pm and Sun. 1 to 4 pm. Learn about traditional colonial celebrations of Twelfth Night. Pottsgrove Manor is at 100 W. King Street, near Route 100 in Pottstown. There is a $2/person suggested donation.

Pottstown School District holds holiday concert

Pottstown School District is extending an invitation to the public to attend the annual all-district band holiday concert.  The concert will be held on Tuesday, December 20th at7:00 p.m. and will take place in the Pottstown High School Stanley Davenport Auditorium.  Bands from elementary through high school will be performing classic holiday tunes.  Included in the program will be the high school jazz band performing “Big Band Christmas” numbers.  The elementary schools will be represented by the All-City Band and will perform tunes such as “Christmas Kazoo,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” and “Christmas Stomp.”

“Frosty The Snowman” will be performed by the middle school clarinet ensemble.  Christmas favorites such as “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” and “O Tannebaum” will be featured by the sixth grade band.

The newly organized High School Rock Quartet will perform “My Favorite Things.”  The high school clarinet ensemble will be featured with their “Up On the Rooftop” presentation.

Seventh and eighth grade band members will perform “African Noel,” “In the Bleak Mid-Winter,” and “Taking A Trip with Old Saint Nick.”

A feature of the evening will be the high school flute ensemble playing “Angels We Have Heard On High.”  The evening will conclude with the high school concert band performance of a Christmas “Pop Sing-A-Long.”

The entire community is invited to kickoff the holiday season during this evening of fun and entertainment!

Busy, busy holiday weekend in Pottstown

There are so many holiday activities taking place this weekend. I’ll highlight a few here. Please check out the calendar for the details, and take a look at The Mercury’s coverage of all the happenings.

Get out this morning for the Doe Club’s annual Cookie Walk and Soup Sale being held in the lobby of the Elks Lodge, 61 High Street, from 9:00 AM to 12 noon. 

Edgewood Cemetery is holding a wreath sale at 9:30 this morning at the cemetery (High & Keim Streets).

A Cash Mob is meeting at The Farmers’ Market at 10 am. Bring $20 to spend at the downtown business of your choice. BUY LOCAL!

On the entertainment side, there’s the Coventry Singers concert, TriPAC’s “A Christmas Story,” and the Ballroom on High’s Christmas Showcase.

There’s a full schedule of events and family fun at the Carousel, Pottsgrove Manor and the Hill School on Sunday too. Check out the calendar here!

 

“Come as You ART Ball” this Friday!

Come As You Art Ball to benefit MOSAIC Community Land Trust and Pottstown Dowtown Improvement Authority (PDIDA)

Friday December 9th 8:00PM – midnight
The Ballroom on High, 310 East High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464

Come in costume as your favorite work of art or your favorite poet, musician, dancer, painter, mime, writer, clown, acrobat or movie star!!

It remains to be seen whether I can pull off my plan to come as a Jackson Pollack painting!

Dance the night away to the local, musical machinations of artists Marc Dryburgh (drums), Chris Coyle (bass), Ben Bullok (keyboard) Jazz, Blues and Funk.

$35-single $60-couple

For more information and to buy tickets: Click Here!

Gallery School and Juan Carlos team up for Tuesday night dinners!

Planning Tuesday night’s dinner has never been easier!  The Gallery School has partnered with Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine for a great ongoing fundraising opportunity. Simply dine out at Juan Carlos any Tuesday, and the restaurant will donate 15% of your bill to The Gallery School, your non-profit community art school. Simply bring this coupon with you when you dine.

Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine is located at 235 E. High Street in the heart of historic downtown Pottstown. Their number is 484-624-4931.  Juan Carlos combines Mexican and Brazilian influences to bring to you authentic South American cuisine, focused on only the freshest and finest ingredients. Check out their full menu at www.jcmexicanfood.com. Juan Carlos is also a BYOB. If you bring the tequila, they will happily whip you up a great margarita using their special mix! Please note: Juan Carlos only accepts cash.

 

Nutcracker Ballet performance at Hill School in 1 hour!

The Schuylkill Valley Regional Dance Company is putting on their 40th anniversary production of The Nutcracker. It’s taking place this afternoon at 2 pm at The Hill School’s Center for the Arts at Beech and Sheridan Streets. For info, visit the SVRDC website at http://www.svrdc.org/.

“A CHRISTMAS STORY” AT THE TRI-PAC

Will Ralphie get his Red Ryder BB gun?  Will Dad get a turkey?  And what’s all this construction?  Come and find out at the Tri-County Performing Arts Center, 245 E. High Street in downtown Pottstown.  A CHRISTMAS STORY opened last night and runs weekends through December 18th.  Buy your tickets now, and you will be able to reserve the best seats!

The Tri-PAC is in the process of getting a facelift – a new concessions area, new façade, and better facilities for all our patrons.  Don’t let the dust fool you though – classes, private lessons, and performances all continue – and there will even be a Winter Workshop for students in the week between Christmas and New Years!

 In the midst of the construction you won’t want to  miss A CHRISTMAS STORY.  This is the classic holiday tale of the mischievous, be-speckled young boy, Ralphie, who dreams of getting a BB gun for Christmas. In the weeks before the big holiday, Ralphie and his friends and family get into all kinds of sticky situations – including a bully with yellow eyes, a tongue stuck to a lamp post, a bar of soap in the mouth, a garish major award, and a Chinese Christmas dinner. Based on the humorist Jean Shepherd’s novel “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash”, A CHRISTMAS STORY is the perfect holiday treat for the whole family!

The cast includes Geoffrey Berwind, Andrea Frassoni, Steve Reazor, Michele Bolay, Ben Williams, David Helmer, Carter Niness, Nathan Esser, Josiah Swenson, Sebastian Coates, Alex Tomarelli, William Bell, Xander Dake, Olivia Swenson, Jenna Tomarelli, Hannah Paczkowski and Lauren Esser.

Tickets are available online at www.tripac.org, or will be sold at the door if space is available.  Ticket prices range from $13 to $21, with discounts for students and seniors as well as groups of 10 or more.  Book your tickets online and reserve your seating in advance!  For full information check www.tripac.org, or call the theater at 610-970-1199.  You will also find information on the website about the rest of the upcoming 2011 – 2012 season, which includes musicals, plays, dance and more!

ABOUT VILLAGE PRODUCTIONS

Village Productions (the Tri-County Performing Arts Center) is a dynamic non-profit performing arts organization founded in 2001 to make the arts highly accessible to all in the community. Established and led by dedicated team of performing artists, arts educators, business leaders, and area residents, Village Productions seeks to strengthen community, inspire creative exploration, educate, and entertain, through the presentation of quality performing arts events and educational opportunities geared toward a diverse audience. More information is available at www.tripac.org

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