Kent County Arts Council -- Artsake

January 2003

This is a highly informal and unscientific survey, but we though it would be fun to list some of the significant arts events of the past year. Our first step was to contact a variety of friends and acquaintances who enjoy the wonderful activities available in Kent County. List a few of your favorites, we said.

All the established festivals and events appeared on our lists: Art in the Park, Chestertown Arts League's popular event in Fountain Park, and the Chestertown Jazz Festival, both on the weekend after Labor Day; Special People, Special Arts- a Celebration of Talents; Chester River Artworks' Artist Studio Tour, as well as their art shows and classes; Rock Hall Fall Fest; performances at the Mainstay; Washington College Concert Series; Tea-Party Festival; Music in the Park - Summer Series in Fountain Park; the performances of the Chester River Chorale, and the parades and concerts of Kent County Community Marching Band.

In addition, our lists included the following, which I will mention somewhat chronologically:

At the January Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet, "America the Beautiful" was sung by Sylvia Frazier, Carol Wright and Portia Turner. This performance was nominated by several attendees.

In February, a benefit concert at the Prince Theatre and a lecture at Norman James Theatre, Washington College, was given by Elliot Fisk, one of the leading classical guitarists of our generation. Michael Strauss, Fisk's friend from college, arranged the events to benefit the Mid-Atlantic Symphony. The Fisk performance and Mid-Atlantic Symphony's concerts were nominated by several of our readers, including Nancy Tatum, English professor of Washington College, and Marge Fallaw, who, herself, has done a remarkable job helping to produce a variety of musical events in our area, including the Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble, a performing group of over 100 local musicians, and the very favorite: Music in the Park, the Chestertown Fountain Park summer series.

February also saw New York's Sepia perform at the Prince Theatre. The acapella group, led by Kent County's own Marlon Saunders, sang traditional spirituals. The powerful performance was a favorite of many including Clark Bjorke, music enthusiast, community activist and Camp Fairlee Manor administrator.

David Bell, and his daughter Lexie, thought among the best was "The Lost Radio Plays of the Marx Brothers,” an A.C.T. production featuring Jim Landskroener as Groucho, and Chris Landskroener as Chico. David, a Galena resident, is the author of "Awesome Chesapeake.”

The Chester River Film Festival, at the Prince Theatre and at Washington College last April, won votes for the best new event in the county. Nita Wieczoreck, of Quaker Neck, and Ben and Judy Kohl of Betterton, mentioned various films in that Festival which touched them.

Mary Wood, Chestertown writer, playwright and theatre fan, nominated "South Pacific,” Church Hill Theatre's summer production, to be a great community effort with talent from all over the Shore. She also nominated the Steff Scaggiari concert to celebrate Helen Gibson's 90th birthday, which was held at Gibson Fine Arts Center, Washington College in August.

"Robin Goodfellow,” a version of Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream,” performed at the Sultana Shipyard on a misty August night, was a favorite of many. Pam Deringer felt it was inspiring, and Kathleen Moore, new director of The Prince Theatre, cited the excellent acting as her reason for the choice of this A.C.T. production directed by Kate Schroeder, featuring Melissa McGlynn, Jim Dissette, Lucia Foster, Jim Landskroener, Jen Friedman and Emmy Landskroener.

The Chester River Gospel Extravaganza held at First United Methodist Church in conjunction with Kent County Arts Council's Chestertown Jazz Festival was a favorite. The stunning performances of the singers and musicians were inspiring to the entire audience. The duet sung by Marlon Saunders and Sylvia Frazier was cited by Francesca Raimond as the performance of the year.

Ann Hennessey, arts enthusiast from Rock Hall, thought the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at The Mainstay was tops. The audience marching around the room, New Orleans style to "The Saints Go Marching In" was the epitome of the live performance experience for those who were there.

The entire series of art shows at the Kent County Arts Council's Gallery was nominated by several folks, including Teague Maisel, the innkeeper at the White Swan Tavern in Chestertown. She especially enjoyed Jane and Gordon Chapman's "Surviving the Labyrinth" as well as the wall-hanging/floor cloth work of Fa Wu as featured in the December show, "Flames and Steel."

The first person to respond to our questionnaire was Michael Thelke who felt a major achievement for a local artist was the award-winning work done by Marilee Schumann. Her sculpture was chosen by the committee for the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland. The work, entitled "First Stone" was presented to Kofi Annan when he spoke at the fifth annual Sadat Lecture for Peace on November 13.

"Awesome" was used to express the delight in the Prince Theatre event which featured Mickey Dulin playing an original score to accompany Charlie Chaplin's film classic, "Modern Times.” A beautiful finishing touch was achieved when Sue Matthews joined Mickey at the piano for a surprise appearance to sing the final bars of "As Time Goes By" as the movie characters disappear into the sunset. This film was part of an acclaimed series of classic films shown at the Prince on Wednesday evenings.

Sue Matthews at the Prince Theatre in Music of Richard Rogers with Steff Scaggiari was a holiday treat mentioned by several people. Connie Schroth, Imagination Alley's arts-in-childhood-education expert, felt that the rapport between the musicians, the singer, and the music created a magical event.

Barbara Vann, arts activist and Chestertown Arts League member, thought Mozart by Candlelight, the Annapolis Opera presentation at the Prince Theatre, was beautiful.

These are just a few of the year's arts highlights. We would welcome more suggestions and nominations from our readers. Just e-mail to kcac @friend.ly.net or call 410-778-3831.

Read the last Artsake.