Harbor for the Arts Festival Goes All Out August 3-18
IVIR Dance Company kicks off two weeks of a Spoleto-like arts festival of music, art, theater, and dance.
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
August 1, 2013
Arts Enter Cape Charles is spearheading an ambitious two-week festival in August, the likes of which has never before been attempted in this little town. Dance, music, art, and theatre will be presented at the Harbor, the Park, Strawberry Street, and Mason Avenue.
The arts festival is set to kick off simultaneously with the Town’s August 3-4 Clam Slam (see related story). Some 34 staged events are scheduled — outdoors, indoors, free, and for admission.
Tony Sacco
Saturday night (August 3), Mark Jensen, Tony Sacco & Friends perform 6-8 p.m. on Mason Avenue in front of The Stage Door Gallery (Free).
That’s the warm-up for the IVIR Dance Company’s 8 p.m. performance at the Palace Theatre ($12 adults/$5 students). IVIR Dance, based in Italy, “pursues its own language and gestures inspired by the philosophy of contemporary dance but processed through new and avant-garde linguistic elements.” (If that doesn’t get the idea across, the above photo should.)
REVIEWERS WANTED: The Wave is looking for volunteer reviewers to document this unprecedented two-week Harbor for the Arts Festival. You need not be a professional (after all, many of the productions are by amateurs) — just a lover of the arts. Reviews should be submitted as quickly as possible following a performance (ideally within 24 hours). Email [email protected] to coordinate.
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U.S. Air Force Jazz Band
Sunday, August 4, at 6:30 p.m., the U.S. Air Force Jazz Band performs in Central Park (Free). “Rhythm in Blue” is a 13-piece ensemble which performs the American musical art forms of jazz, blues and funk. The band features repertoire from the great jazz masters and pays tribute to the Big Band leaders of the swing era. Bring a beach chair and a picnic. Wine and Margaritas will be sold.
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Monday, August 5, at 8 p.m.: “I Played the Palace” in the Historic Palace Theatre (Free). Cash bar and hot paninis. A non-competitive evening where the diverse talents of Eastern Shore neighbors will be highlighted. Thespians, comedians, musicians, dancers are invited to register — call 757-331-2787.
Tuesday, August 6, at 7 p.m. — Guitarist Mike Hawker at the Cape Charles Beachfront (Free). Easy listening, favorite ballads, and classic oldies — a great mix for a cool night out with friends.
Tuesday, August 6, 8:30-10:30 p.m. — Fat Tuesday dance party on Strawberry Street (Free). Fat Tuesday and the New Custards bring their explosive sound of popular covers and original material. Cash bar in Palace Theatre.
Wednesday, August 7, 5-7 p.m. — Mark Jensen, Tony Sacco & Friends perform on Mason Avenue in front of The Stage Door Gallery (Free). Cash bar.
Wednesday, August 7, at 7 p.m. — Cape Charles Chorale, under the direction of Shirley Christian, performs selections from Baroque to Broadway (Free). An entertaining evening of live music in the elegant Historic Palace Theatre. Cash bar.
Thursday, August 8, 5-7 p.m. –Narrowpath at the Stage Door Gallery. Narrowpath is a contemporary Christian Eastern Shore band comprised of siblings Brian, Leah, and Jacqueline Boothe, and Scott DeYoung. The band writes most of its own music, and its priority is to reach as many people as possible with the good news of Jesus Christ. Cash bar.
Tropikiimba Cuban salsa dance party
Thursday, August 8, 7-10 p.m. — Tropikiimba – Cuban salsa dance party on Strawberry Street (Free). Tropikiimba’s specialty is Afro-Latino music. They play Salsa, Timba, Songo, Bolero, Danzon, Cha Cha Cha, Charanga, Rumba, Bachata, Merengue and Vallenato. Margaritas and cash bar.
Friday, August 9, noon to 2 p.m. — Piano students under the direction of Marijana Nottingham perform on Mason Avenue in front of the Stage Door Gallery (Free). Cash bar and concessions in the Gallery.
Friday, August 9, 5:30-7 p.m. — John Sheppard on keyboard with Jim Harding on sax in front of the Stage Door Gallery on Mason Avenue (Free). Cash bar
London Suite
Friday, August 9, at 7 p.m. — A revival of “London Suite,” a comedy by Neil Simon, featuring local favorites. Adults $12, Students $5 (R rated).
Friday, August 9, 9-11:30 p.m. — Almost Famous Band dance party on Strawberry Street (Free). The Almost Famous Band is a group of friends who just plain love music of all kinds. Anything from classic to Southern rock ‘n’ roll, from alternative to blues, from reggae to country to bluegrass. Cash bar.
Saturday, August 10, 4:30-6:30 p.m. — Andrew McKnight & the Borders at the Beach Gazebo on Bay Avenue (Free). Singer/songwriter Andrew McKnight’s music traverses influences from Appalachia, slide and jazzy blues, feisty anthems, rustic folk, and guitar-driven rock while blending his tenor voice and acoustic and electric guitars with banjo, upright bass, drums, and percussion. Their eclectic arrangements stretch “beyond Appalachian, beyond blues, beyond folk.”
Saturday, August 10, 6:30-9 p.m. — Mark Jensen, Tony Sacco & Friends perform on Mason Avenue in front of The Stage Door Gallery (Free). Cash bar.
Twist & Shout Beatles tribute
Saturday, August 10, at 9 p.m. — Twist & Shout Beatles Tribute ($20). Wayne George, Edward Koswski, Craig Romano, Greg Palaski, Evan Teatum, and Jim Nenning present Twist & Shout, a magical musical tribute to The Beatles at the Palace Theatre.
Sunday, August 11, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. — Cape Charles 757 Quick Draw plein air event. Artists will be all over the historic downtown district creating original art showcase in 3 hours or less. Artists will paint from 9 a.m. to noon and then return to Stage Door Gallery, where their works will be judged and available for sale. Register at http://www.pleinair757.com/ or immediately prior to the event.
At 2 p.m., a Young Artists’ Quick Draw will begin for artists 15 and younger. They will bring their creations back to Stage Door Gallery at 4 p.m. for judging, awards, and sale.
Sunday, August 11, at 6:30 p.m. — Brass 5 in Central Park (Free). The big band group Brass 5 offers a repertoire from Renaissance, Classical, Dixieland, Jazz, and Rock to Country. Bring a beach chair and a picnic. Wine and Margaritas available.
Piece of Eden
Sunday, August 11, at 3 p.m. — Piece of Eden at Historic Palace Theatre (Free). A combination of live theatre and film paying tribute to the original, musical epic stage play that follows Thom Savage and his descendants and depicts their relationship with the Native Americans of the Shore from 1618-1776. Repeats Monday, August 12, 8 p.m., and Tuesday, August 13, 8 p.m.
Sunday, August 11, 1-4 p.m. — Art Rocks the Inns (Free). The porches of the bed & breakfasts of Cape Charles will be rocking with artwork. Each B&B will feature local artists showcasing their works, from all different mediums – paint, sculpture, wood, jewelry, and photography. Take a walking tour from inn to inn, or travel by bike, golf cart, or car among the five properties in Cape Charles’ historic downtown district within 3/4 mile of one another.
Chesapeake Bay View B&B, 212 Bay Avenue: Duong “U” Nguyen — oil paintings of Eastern Shore scenes done on board with a palette knife. Sandy Mayer — spiritually inspired paintings in oil on canvas or board and mixed media mandalas.
Sea Gate Bed &Breakfast, 9 Tazewell Avenue: Mama Girl – papier mache figurines.
Bay Haven Inn of Cape Charles, 403 Tazewell Avenue: Lena Gonzalez — painted canvas placemats. Heather Gladden — ink wash sketches, photography, and pen illustrations of nature with a surreal twist.
Cape Charles House, 645 Tazewell Avenue: Pam Kossman — handmade jewelry. Ocean Pottery — whimsical ocean motif porcelain pottery, metal serve ware, and Turkish glass bowls.
Fig Street Inn, 711 Tazewell Avenue: Windsor House — handmade Windsor chairs, farm tables, stools, hand painted signs, and folk art using local and reclaimed woods.
Wednesday, August 14, at 7 p.m. — Spy! The Story of Civil War Spy Elizabeth Van Lew at the Historic Palace Theatre (Free). Storyteller Lynn Ruehlmann for many years has worked with Young Audiences of Virginia, who awarded her Artist of the Year. Ages 8–adult.
Wednesday, August 14, 8-9 p.m. — Civil War Love Letters at the Palace Theatre (Free). JP Paré and Fran Loper portray a love story through letters written by a young corporal in the Confederate Army during the Civil War to his lover back home on the Eastern Shore of Virginia from 1863-1865. Cash bar.
Wednesday, August 14, at 7 p.m. — Guitarist Mike Hawker at the Cape Charles Beachfront (Free). Mike’s style of easy listening, favorite ballads, and classic oldies is a great mix for a cool night out with friends.
Thursday, August 15, at 6 p.m. — Piano music in the Stage Door Gallery (Free). Cash bar.
Thursday, August 15, at 8 p.m. — Where Go the Boats? at Historic Palace Theatre (Adults $15/Students $8). Opera with Anna Sterrett accompanied by Oksana Lutsyshyn. Water songs of Quilter, Schubert, Faure, Stravinsky, Hoiby and Lego.
Friday, August 16, 6-8 p.m. — The Lastones Band at Cape Charles Harbor (Free). The Lastones are a four-piece band from Virginia Beach playing new grass, folk, rock, and blues.
Local favorites Heather & Nathan Travis
Friday, August 16, 8-11:30 p.m. — Heather and Nathan Travis followed by Quick Fix for a dance party on Strawberry Street (Free).
Saturday, August 17, at 6 p.m. — Stage Door Gallery Wine & Cheese reception for the opening of the 757 Plein Air Art on the Move exhibition. The exhibit will include works from both Quick Draw events as well as works from Plein Air 757, an annual event of 30 juried artists taking place on August 8 and 9. The exhibit will run through September 2. Mark Jensen, Tony Sacco & Friends will perform on Mason Avenue in front of The Stage Door Gallery. Cash bar
Saturday, August 17, at 8 p.m. — Experimental Film Virginia film screenings at the Historic Palace Theatre. Workshop participants debut their work on stage.
Sunday, August 18, at 6 p.m. — Jae Sinnett Trio in Central Park (Free). Jae Sinnett’s trio includes pianist Allen Farnham and bassist Terry Burrell. Bring a beach chair and a picnic. Wine and Margaritas available.
For full details, see the Harbor for the Arts website at http://www.harborforthearts.com.
The first Harbor for the Arts Festival is part of the “Our Town” grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. It involves a tremendous collaboration! The Town of Cape Charles, Citizens for Central Park, Cape Charles Business Association, the B&B Association, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Virginia Commission for the Arts, Arts Enter, and many other volunteers and businesses are involved. The new tourism website http://www.capecharlesbythebay.com is another integral part of the grant. Please check that out! We all hope that Cape Charles will be full of visitors who will enjoy the free live entertainment while shopping in our retail businesses and eating in our restaurants! Please join in!
Fantastic. We can be proud of our little town. I wish I could be here for the festival.
The U.S. Air Force Jazz Band was wonderful! The weather was perfect and the band was well received by young and old. What a beautiful little gem (Central Park) we have here in Cape Charles. Keep it coming! That’s what parks are for.