Chautauqua Opens Series at La Plata Campus July 9, 10, 11

The College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) Twilight Performance Series returns this summer with a new line-up to include history, music and theater. The free, family-friendly, outdoor series will feature local artists performing a variety of country, traditional bluegrass, Latin jazz and folk music, as well as musical and one-act theater programs at campuses in La Plata, Leonardtown and Prince Frederick.

This year CSM will host Chautauqua at the La Plata Campus July 9, 10 and 11. Twilight performances will continue at the Leonardtown Campus on Tuesdays, July 16, 23 and 30; at the La Plata Campus on Wednesdays, July 17, 24 and 31; and at the Prince Frederick Campus on Thursdays, July 18, 25 and Aug. 1. All performances will begin at 6:45 p.m.

The annual Chautauqua program includes interactive, family-friendly presentations and is an educational program of the Maryland Humanities Council, presented in partnership with CSM. This year’s theme is “Turning Points in History,” and  will feature Chautauquan actors who will portray the historical figures of Rachel Carson, the mother of the environmental movement; Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean; and Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, the first African American player in Major League baseball. For background on the figures, visit http://www.csmd.edu/Arts/TwilightSeries/index.html. Chautauqua will open at 6:45 p.m. with a short concert by local musician Steve Hickman. Beginning as a dancer and musician in the Potomac Country Dancers, Hickman has performed at the Kennedy Center and on a regular basis in Williamsburg and in Alexandria, Virginia at Gadsby’s Tavern. He also performs at dance and music events nationally and abroad. 

Twilight performances continue the subsequent weeks with local bands Jackson Murphy Band and Sam Grow; theatrical productions of “HONK!,”  “The Fisherman and His Wife,”  “Sure Thing” and “The Actor’s Nightmare”; and local Latin ensemble, Ritmo Caché.

The band Jackson Murphy, with former Fitzmaurice band members Maria Fitzmaurice, Brandon Snellings, Mike Simms and Jeff Covert, has opened for country music heavyweights such as The Band Perry, Darius Rucker, Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley and others. They’ve formed a new band to expand their ever-growing style. Joined by Mark Willis on drums, the band performs everything from traditional country and bluegrass to original songs written by the band. Preview the band at http://www.jacksonmurphymusic.com/about.html  or on its Facebook fanpage at https://www.facebook.com/JacksonMurphyMusic. .

Sam Grow is a musical jack-of-all-trades—a singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, bassist and drummer—who grew up in Southern Maryland. He discovered a passion for music by the age of 5 while watching his father and sister singing and playing the piano. Grow’s father introduced him to artists such as The Righteous Brothers, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding and Elvis Presley, who would influence him throughout his musical career. After singing in the choir at his family’s church for several years, Grow headed into the studio in 2007 to record his debut album. Grow has singles which have earned success on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts as well as the album “Reveal” which as a whole record charted at No. 11. He is currently touring the U.S. with a schedule that consists of more than 250 shows a year. Preview Sam Grow’s music at http://www.samgrowband.com/fr_home.cfm or on its Facebook fanpage at https://www.facebook.com/samgrowfans.

Under the direction of CSM Music Coordinator Dr. Stephen Johnson, Latin Ensemble, Ritmo Caché, consists of CSM students and Southern Maryland community members who share a love of Latin-American music. Ritmo Caché plays in a variety of styles including salsa, Afro-Cuban, Latin jazz, Latin pop, bossa nova, merengue and Tejano.

“HONK!” is a musical about a goose named Ugly, whose odd, gawky looks instantly incite prejudice from his family and neighbors. When Ugly is separated from his farm and family, he embarks on a rollicking and harrowing journey where he not only discovers his true beauty and glorious destiny, but also finds love and acceptance.

 “The Fisherman and His Wife” is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm about a poor fisherman who catches a golden flounder that claims to be an enchanted prince. The fisherman kindly releases it but when he tells his wife of the event she says that he should have asked the flounder to grant him a wish. The fish does grant a wish, and many more that the greedy wife demands until she goes too far with her requests.

“Sure Thing” is a one-act classic of contemporary comedy—two people meet in a café and find their way through a conversational minefield as an offstage bell interrupts their false starts, gaffes and faux pas on the way to finding love.

“The Actor’s Nightmare” is a one-act play that follows George who casually wanders into a theater and is suddenly pushed on stage to replace an ailing actor. Unsure of what play is being performed, George stumbles his way through a scene from “Private Lives,” “Hamlet” and “A Man for All Seasons,” until make-believe gives way to reality.

The Twilight series will take place outdoors on the La Plata Campus Fine Arts Building Lawn, the Leonardtown Campus Great Lawn, and on the Prince Frederick Patio. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and a picnic, or purchase food on site. No alcoholic beverages are permitted. In the event of inclement weather, performances will move indoors. On the La Plata Campus performances will move to the Fine Arts Center, on the Leonardtown Campus to Building A, Auditorium, and on the Prince Frederick Campus to the Multipurpose Room in Building B.

Gold, silver and bronze sponsorship levels are available for this year’s Twilight Performance Series. For information on sponsorships call 301-934-7649 or 301-870-2309, 240-725-5499 or 443-550-6169, Ext. 7649 or visit www.csmd.edu/Foundation. Current support for the series is made possible through Bronze Level sponsorships with Bayside Toyota, CSC, and Research and Engineering Development, LLC; and partnerships with the Leonardtown Business Association and the Maryland Humanities Council; and grant funding from the Arts Council of Calvert County, the Charles County Arts Alliance, the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and the Maryland State Arts Council.

For information on the Twilight Performance Series call 301-934-7703 or 301-870-2309, 240-725-5499, or 443-550-6169, Ext. 7703 or visit www.csmd.edu/Arts.

Chautauqua is a program of the Maryland Humanities Council presented in partnership with the College of Southern Maryland. The Maryland Humanities Council, Inc. is an independent non-profit organization which receives support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Maryland Division of Historical and Cultural Programs, corporations, foundations and individuals.

CSM’s campuses are accessible to patrons with disabilities. Audio description for the visually impaired and sign language interpretation for the hearing impaired are available with a minimum two-week advanced notice. Contact the academic support/ADA coordinator at 301-934-7614.

ST. CHARLES ANNOUNCES LINEUP FOR FREE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Peter Humphrey and the Oasis Band to Kick Off the Season on May 3rd

The St. Charles Companies announces the return of The Sunset Concert Series to the St. Charles and Waldorf communities on May 3rd, marking the fifth year for the highly popular free outdoor music festival. The 2013 season will open with the reggae sounds of Peter Humphrey and the Oasis Band. A total of 17 bands will play by the lake throughout the summer, winding up with a funk R&B Dance Party by the band Tomorrow’s Time on August 30th.  

Joining the series this summer will be returning crowd favorites along with new local singer/songwriter talent.  "What a great lineup coming to O'Donnell Lake this summer," said Craig J. Renner, vice president for marketing and public relations. “With four bands, the US Navy and US Air Force will be well represented, and local favorites like Eric Scott, Sara Gray, Sin Miedo, Lynn Hollyfield, the Blarney Stones, and Jennifer Cooper are returning. Lots of great genres, too, from reggae blues to Irish to Jazz. Great music, every Friday night, highlighting the incredible talent that calls Southern Maryland home.”


The Sunset Concert Series lineup includes:

·        May 3     Peter Humphrey and Oasis Band                                         Reggae

·        May 10   Little Paul and Company                                                       Americana  Singer-Songwriter

·        May 17   USN Cruisers                                                                              US Navy Rock Band

·        May 24   USAF Max Impact                                                                   USAF Originals

·        May 31   Anthony "Swampdog" Clark                                                 Blues

·        June 7     Sara Gray Band                                                                         Local Rising Star

·        June 14   USN Country Current                                                            Country, Bluegrass

·        June 21   Sin Miedo                                                                                   Salsa

·        June 28   WaCaHaSe                                                                                Jam Band

·        July 5       Eric Scott Band                                                                       Original music

·        July 12    Jennifer Cooper and Groovespan                                   Jazz

·        July 19    John O'Loughlin and the Blarney Stones                     Irish pop and traditional

·        July 26    Marenje Marimba                                                                 Marimba

·        Aug  2     Electric Brigade                                                                      US Naval Academy Rock band

·        Aug  9     Immortal Soul Revue                                                           Old School R&B, soul revue

·        Aug 16    Deanna Dove                                                                            Local singer/songwriter

·        Aug 23    Lynn Hollyfield Band                                                          Original Acoustic

·        Aug 30    Tomorrow's Time                                                                 Funk, R&B Dance Party

              
Local artists and crafters are welcome to display and sell their work each Friday night.  To express interest and to learn more, please complete this application.

 Saturday, June 8, 2013
12:00 Noon - 6:00 pm
La Plata Town Hall

The Charles County Arts Alliance (CCAA) is pleased to announce that ArtsFest 2013 will be held this year on Saturday, June 8, 2013, from 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm, at the La Plata Town Hall! This annual countywide outdoor event celebrates ALL the arts in Charles County: music, visual art, drama, dance and literature. Now in its 21st year, it is the largest arts festival in Charles County!

ArtsFest is returning to La Plata this year and will once again bring the festivities to the lawn surrounding the beautiful La Plata Town Hall. Last year's ArtsFest in La Plata was well attended by over 2000 individuals from across Southern Maryland. Previous ArtsFests have been held in Indian Head, Cobb Island and Waldorf.

Arts Alliance President Diane Rausch, said, "We are delighted with our continuing partnership with the Town of La Plata, and appreciate their support as our host. We are planning to make ArtsFest 2013 a memorable one!"

Visual artists of all media are invited to display and sell artworks on the lawn at ArtsFest 2013. In addition, arts organizations are invited as exhibitors to display information and encourage participation in their performing, visual and literary arts activities. Also invited as exhibitors are historical, heritage, multicultural and environmental organizations.

ArtsFest 2013 is the Art Alliance's "free gift" to the citizens of Charles County and Southern Maryland. There is no charge to the public to attend. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase throughout the day.

Last year's ArtsFest showcased over 60 artists and exhibitors at the La Plata Town Hall, along with musical and dance entertainment at several locations on the lawn. ArtsFest 2013 promises to be even more spectacular, with several special events taking place throughout the day.

ArtsFest 2013 Registration Forms and additional information are available on the CCAA website (www.charlescountyarts.org), so please check there for all information needed to participate in this year's festival.

Please save the date and mark your calendars for ArtsFest 2013 on Saturday, June 8!

Children’s Theatre Company Announces Cast for
 ‘Snow White Goes West’

The College of Southern Maryland’s Children’s Theatre Company presents its cast for the musical production of “Snow White Goes West,” a book by Jim Eiler based on the Grimms’ Brother Tale.

CSM’s cast includes Aimee Bonnet of White Plains as Snow White; Shemika Berry of Waldorf as Queenie; James Burd Brewster of Pomfret as Narrator; Alex La Clair as Joe Prince, Ken La Clair as Mr. White and Jeremy Hunter as Hank Dwarf, all of La Plata; Rami Essa as Pete Dwarf, Ricky Jenkins as Chuck Dwarf, Xavier Prince as Slim Dwarf, Kenneth Waters as Jake Dwarf, Eid Brian Taylor as Shorty Dwarf, all of Waldorf; Horace Brandon Jones of Cheltenham as Mike Dwarf; JR Cook of Lexington Park as Sneaky Sam; Marleigh Ferguson and Leigha Ferguson, both as Mechancial/Miner and of Charlotte Hall, and Alex Richardson of Waldorf as Mirror.

The story is Snow White with a Stetson. Set during the California Gold Rush this rambunctious tongue-in-cheek retelling of the timeless classic pits the hapless heroine against an ill-tempered saloon hall owner named Queenie and her assistant Sneaky Sam. In true fairy tale fashion all ends well thanks to handsome marshal Joe Prince and the seven prospecting Dwarf brothers.

Performances are March 1 at 7 p.m. and March 2 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets are $7 for adults and seniors and $5 for youth in high school or younger. 
Performance is suitable for all age groups. For reservations contact bxoffc@csmd.edu, 301-934-7828, or www.csmd.edu/arts.

The Fine Arts Center is accessible to patrons with disabilities. Audio description for the visually impaired and sign language interpretation for the hearing impaired are available with a minimum two-week advanced notice. If you are interested in these services contact the Box Office at 301-934-7828 or by e-mail at bxoffc@csmd.edu.

The College of Southern Maryland’s Theatre Company presents its cast for the musical production of  "Urinetown,” a play inspired by the  works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill.

Director Keith Hight describes “Urinetown” as a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he’s had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom.

CSM’s cast includes Derek T. Pickens of Washington, D.C. as Bobby Strong; Charles Watley of Charlotte Hall as Caldwell B. Cladwell; Matthew Jones as Cop and Dr. Billaux, Jhonni Jones as Josephine “Ma” Strong and Sarah Jones as RICH, all of Welcome; Aimee Bonnet as Hope Cladwell, Stephen Bonnet as Tiny Tom and Taylor Scott Hines as Mr. McQueen, all of White Plains; Greg Kenney as Hot Blades Harry and Shannon Hartfield as POOR, both of Accokeek; Ken LaClair as Joseph “Old Man” Strong, Jeremy Hunter as Officer Lockstock, Katie Fischer as POOR, Lisa LaClair as Soupy Sue and Alex LaClair as Senator Fipp, all of La Plata; Emmeline Jones as Little Sally, Hallie MacDonald and Devon-Marie Pettie as POOR and Jamie Burroughs as Mrs. Millennium, all of  Mechanicsville; Rami Essa as Robby the Stockfish, Simone Hanna as RICH, Emma Veteto as POOR, Jordan Prince and Kenneth L. Waters as POOR and Cops, Jaimie Green and Xavier Prince, both as Cops; all of Waldorf;  Mitchell Landon of Great Mills as Officer Barrel; Alyshia Bradley of Lusby as Penelope Pennywise; Francis Ford of Prince Frederick as Billy Boy Bill and Cop; Danielle LeDoux of Indian Head as Little Becky Two-Shoes; and Alexis Miller of Crofton as RICH.

Performances are at 8 p.m., Nov. 8 through 10 and 15 through 17, at the College of Southern Maryland, Fine Arts (FA) Center, Theater, 8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 seniors, military members with ID and youth in high school or younger. For reservations contact bxoffc@csmd.edu, 301-934-7828, or
www.csmd.edu/arts.

The Fine Arts Center is accessible to patrons with disabilities. Audio description for the visually impaired and sign language interpretation for the hearing impaired are available with a minimum two-week advanced notice. If you are interested in these services contact the Box Office at 301-934-7828 or by e-mail at bxoffc@csmd.edu.

The College of Southern Maryland welcomes violinist Robert Sorel and
pianist Narciso Solero to perform at the Ward Virts Concert Series at 3
p.m., Oct. 7 at the Prince Frederick Campus, Room 119. The performance is the first of six in the concert series, which is held at CSM’s Prince Frederick Campus, 115 J.W. Williams Road, Prince Frederick.

Sorel is a freelance violinist, violist, music educator and conductor
in the Washington, D.C. area. He studied at the Boston and Shenandoah
Conservatories of Music and at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio where he studied and coached with Joseph Gingold. He has been a featured soloist with the Washington Bach Sinfonia and the New England Chamber Players and he has given numerous recitals throughout the New England and the Washington, D.C. areas. Sorel has been a member of the New York City Opera Touring Company, Capital Chamber Players, the Maryland Symphony, Millbrook Chamber Orchestra, Arlington Symphony, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Boston Civic Orchestra and the Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, R.I.

Solero regularly appears in collaboration with other artists. His
performances as collaborative pianist include concerts at the Kennedy
Center on the Millennium Stage, Carnegie Hall, Strathmore Mansion,
Montgomery College, Catholic University, the Anderson House Museum and the Tuesday Concert Series for Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D.C. He has performed throughout the United Stated and overseas, including concerto performances at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, solo recitals throughout the Midwest, Washington, D.C., Hong Kong, Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, as well as television broadcasts on KBS-TV Korea.
Solero has worked with artists including Placido Domingo, soprano Harolyn Blackwell, soprano Beverly Rinaldi and television and movie star, Vanessa Williams.

The Ward Virts Concert Series is presented by Edward and Patricia Mehosky, St. Clair and Mary Tweedie, Gerry Van De Velde and Rene Cunningham, and CSM. The centerpiece of the concert series is a world-class Boesendorfer Grand Piano, which was gifted to CSM by the Ward Virts Piano Project (WVPP) for the enjoyment the Southern Maryland community.

 The WVPP was formed by friends and classmates of pianist Ward Virts, whose sudden death in 1993 inspired them to purchase this hand-made piano and dedicate the piano in Virts’ memory. Inspired by Virts’
life and spirit, his friends and classmates conceived the project in order to bring the love of life, beauty and music that Virts embodied to a new generation of Southern Maryland students, performers and appreciative audiences.

Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free and seating is open but limited.  Contact 443-550-6011, rfleming@csmd.edu or www.csmd.edu/Arts.

CSM’s campuses are accessible to patrons with disabilities. Audio description for the visually impaired and sign language interpretation for the hearing impaired are available with a minimum two weeks advanced
notice. If you are interested in these services, please contact the academic support/ADA coordinator at 301-934-7614.

The Newtowne Players are pleased to announce their new 2012-2013 season, including popular comedies, dramas and a musical.

Concerned with a group of gossipy Southern ladies in a small-town beauty parlor, Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias is alternately hilarious and touching — and, in the end, deeply revealing of the strength and purposefulness that underlies the antic banter of its characters. The show runs Sept. 21 to Oct. 7, 2012. Directed by Kerry Robinson. Starring Robin Finnacom, Emily Funderburk, Linda Lagle, Stacy Reynolds Oosterink, Rebecca Raymond and Dawn Weber.  

Humorist Jean Shepherd's memoir of growing up in the Midwest in the 1940s, A Christmas Story follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. The show runs Nov. 30 to Dec. 16, 2012. Directed by Stacey Mulrooney.

In James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter, King Henry II of England has three sons by Eleanor of Aquitaine: Richard, Geoffrey and John. He wants the kingdom to stay united after his death, but all three sons want to rule, and it is likely to be torn apart by revolution. The show runs March 8-24, 2013. Directed by Bill Scarafia.

Drawing from various theatrical traditions, such as clowning, pantomime, charades, acrobatics and vaudeville, Stephen Schwartz’s Godspell is a groundbreaking and unique reflection on the life of Jesus, with a message of kindness, tolerance and love. The musical runs May 3-19, 2013. Directed by Michelle Freire.

In Deathtrap, by Ira Levin, Sidney Bruhl, a successful writer of Broadway thrillers, is struggling to overcome a "dry" spell. A possible break in his fortunes occurs when he receives a script from a student in the seminar he has been conducting at a nearby college —a thriller Sidney recognizes immediately as a potential Broadway hit. The whodunit runs Aug. 2-18, 2013. Directed by Jennifer Carnahan.

All performances are held at Three Notch Theatre on 21744 South Coral Drive in Lexington Park. Reservations are recommended. Please make reservations for any show by calling 301.737.5447 or visiting www.newtowneplayers.org.

Come beat the heat with a weekend of fun in Leonardtown Square! A special First Fridays event on August 3rd from 5 – 8:00 p.m. kicks-off Leonardtown’s Beach Party on the Square event the next day, August 4th from 4 – 9:00 p.m.  

On the first Friday of each month, the Leonardtown Business Association celebrates First Fridays from 5 – 8:00 p.m. with a variety of specials offered by our Town businesses in downtown and uptown Leonardtown, the Leonardtown Arts Center, Port of Leonardtown Winery, the Maryland Antiques Center complex, the Shops at Breton Bay and Breton Marketplace. 

The August celebration of First Fridays will be a great evening of art, entertainment, food, and special offers.  Have a bite to eat with friends and family, buy your raffle tickets before it is too late, and drop off your used cell phones to benefit Hope Phones. Then come to the Square for the live music starting at 6:00 p.m. featuring the talents of Miles from Clever, or just listen to the tunes as you browse from store to store. 

Join the crowd in the Square at 7:30 p.m. for the Summertime Raffle Drawing to see who wins First prize - a gorgeous, hand-crafted coffee display table built by artisan carpenter Rob Seltzer of Herring Creek Furniture.  Ticket holders are also eligible for a variety of Gift Certificates from local businesses – like Port of Leonardtown Winery, Good Earth Natural Foods, Big Larry’s Comic Book Café, Brewing Grounds, and Fenwick Street Used Books and Music.  Summertime Raffle tickets will be on sale through August 3rd at Port of Leonardtown Winery, Fuzzy Farmers Market, North End Gallery, and Fenwick Street Used Books and Music  -  $1 each or 12 tickets for $10. 

Get some rest Friday night, because you’re going to need the energy for great family fun at Leonardtown’s Beach Party on the Square the following day, Saturday, August 4th from 4 – 9:00 p.m.   This action-packed event is sure to provide a good time for all!   Highlights include the fantastic tunes of The 25th Hour Band, the high-stepping jump ropers of Greenbelt Sity Stars, energetic line-dancing with Pam Veitch, The Daughters of Veda Mid Eastern Dance Troupe, Zumba dance with Robyn Butcher, strolling juggler Philip DePalo, and scientific magic and hands-on experiments with Mad Science!  Take the free shuttle to Tudor Hall where you and your children will learn about the culture surrounding the War of 1812 with engaging activities and historical re-enactors.

The fun continues throughout the evening with a tug-of-war in the sand hosted by the College of Southern Maryland, fire truck hose-downs provided by the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department, inflatable Velcro sticky wall and Bungee Football, moon bounce, kids’ sand pit, hula hoop, jump rope and limbo contests, face painting, crafts, informational displays, games, prizes, food and much more! Both for the young and the young-at-heart, is a display of antique cars and classic corvettes.  Returning to the Beach Party this year is the Running of the Balls, at 7:00 p.m. on Fenwick Street Hill.  Get your prepaid balls from any Leonardtown or Lexington Park Rotary member, at any businesses where you see the Running of the Balls signs, or at the Beach Party event.

If  you’re looking for the water slide, it isn’t in the Square this year, it’s been moved to the Leonardtown Wharf to join the kayaks and stand up paddle boats, as well as the new Giant Basketball Hoop.  Stroll down the hill or take the Hillside Ride shuttle to enjoy the picturesque scenery on beautiful Breton Bay and talk to Mike McWilliams, a waterman and representative of the National Waterman Heritage Foundation.  

Admission to Leonardtown’s "Beach Party" is FREE, but please note that the inflatable Velcro sticky wall and Bungee Football will require wrist bands, which can be purchased for $5 each and allow for unlimited use throughout the event.  Food from Town restaurants, as well as local food trucks and non-profit organizations will also be available for purchase.     

On Beach Party day, Saturday, August 4th, from 12 Noon until 11:00 p.m. several streets in the downtown Square area will be closed to thru traffic.  You are encouraged to park at the College of Southern Maryland and take the free shuttle bus, provided by Carter’s Bus Service, into the downtown area.  Leonardtown’s Beach Party on the Square is held in historic downtown Leonardtown in the Town Square, on Washington and Fenwick Streets.  This event is sponsored by the Commissioners of Leonardtown and the Leonardtown Business Association.

A special thank you to our Beach Party financial sponsors:  Quality Built Homes, Inc., MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, Two Guys Collision Center, College of Southern Maryland, Loiderman Soltesz Associates, Inc., Cedar Point Federal Credit Union, Salsa’s Mexican Café, St. Mary’s Macaroni Kid and a grant from the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and the Maryland Arts Council.

For more information on Leonardtown’s August First Fridays or the Beach Party on the Square events, contact the Office of the Commissioners of Leonardtown at 301-475-9791 or email us at leonardtown.commissioners@verizon.net.  You can also visit First Friday on the web at www.leonardtownfirstfridays.com and Leonardtown on the web at www.leonardtown.somd.com.  

Sotterley Plantation is pleased to announce open auditions for this year’s the Ghosts of Sotterley - “1918:  Influenza, War, and Restless Spirits” and Sotterley Holiday Candlelight - “From This Day Forward.”

Saturday, August 4th    10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tuesday, August 7th    6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Tuesday, August 21st    6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 25th   10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

 
Ghosts of Sotterley roles available for the following:
3 Females age 10-15
1 Female age 16-20
2 Females age 20-35
1 Female age 45-55
6 Females and age in good physical condition to be tour guides (guide is a speaking part)
3 Males age 12-15
11 Males age 20-35
1 Male age 30-55
2 Males age 30-55 (Non Speaking)
1 Male age 55-65

Important Production Dates:

Tuesday, August 28th - First General Meeting.

Beginning August 30th - Rehearsals scheduled for Tuesdays &  Thursdays.
Oct 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27th – Show Dates.

Sotterley Holiday Candlelight roles available for the following:

1 African American Female age 20-30
1 Caucasian Female age 8-12
4 Caucasian Females age 16-22
3 Caucasian Females age 24-34
1 Caucasian Females age 35-45
1 Caucasian Female age 48-58
1 African American Male age 20-25
1 African American Male age 35-45
3 Caucasian Males age 38-48
2 Caucasian Males age 50-65

Important Production Dates:

Last week of October TBA – First General Meeting.

November 3-17, TBA - Rehearsals one week night and one weekend afternoon per week.

November 26, 6-9 p.m. (full cast) - Tech Rehearsal.

November 28, 6-9 p.m. (full cast) - Dress Rehearsal.

November 29, 30, and December 1, 6-9 p.m.

Also needed: Lighting, and Costume assistance! For more information, contact: Linda Tucker Jones, Event Manager at: events@sotterley.org or 301-373-2280.

Friendship Means Never Wanting to Say ‘Good-bye’
Group Funds CSM Arts Scholarship in Memory of Longtime Friend

He was an artist, a musician, a pilot and a friend.

Then he was gone.

“He was such a very good friend to so many people. He’s gone and we
feel like he was snatched away from us,” said Carmen Gambrill of the
void left by the passing of Dennis Lake Smith, of Solomons. “I think
of Dennis so much and I wanted a way for his name to live on.”

With her husband, Matt, Gambrill found a way to honor her friend in a
way she feels Smith would have approved by creating the Dennis Lake
Smith Memorial Art Scholarship with a $1,000 donation at the College of Southern Maryland Foundation. “Dennis would have chosen this for himself. He would be happy to help young artists fulfill their dreams,” Gambrill said.

Smith is remembered as a saxophone and harmonica player with the
Southern Maryland band “Round Midnite” and was learning to play the accordion. He flew with his Solomons Island friends to New Orleans for JazzFest as a way to share his passion for music. Although he was offered a scholarship to the Julliard School of Music, Smith chose to study art at the Maryland Institute of Art and was the artist who designed the first Cavalier billboard welcoming visitors to Calvert County. Smith graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University later in life, while working full time. He was a software applications engineer with Wyle Labs in California. Smith died at his home on May 1, 2011.

On May 20 this year, Gambrill hosted an event at her business, carmen’s gallery, in Solomons to raise money for the scholarship. Her goal is to have the fundraiser as an annual event. “So many of the friends that Dennis brought together through his love of music and art came together again in a big way,” Gambrill said of the more than $3,800 raised from Smith’s friends and family for the scholarship.

“Through our heritage, those of us in the family share his joie de vivre, his quick humor and his love of all things creative, colorful and beautiful, whether crafted by hand or by nature. But the friends he chose are also of the same cloth, and he was fortunate to be able to spend such happy times with all of you,” said Melinda Kay, Smith’s
sister, of those gathered at the scholarship fundraiser.

“Southern Maryland is home to some of the most talented and creative artists. The Dennis Lake Smith Memorial Art Scholarship continues the legacy of Mr. Smith and ensures that Calvert County students attending CSM have the resources they need to keep the arts alive in Southern Maryland,” said Development Director Martina Arnold.

For information on donating to the Dennis Lake Smith Memorial Art Scholarship, visit www.csmd.edu/Foundation. For information on establishing a scholarship, contact  Arnold at 301-934-7649 or
martina.arnold@csmd.edu.