SHORT REVIEW: Parr Barn Party Was Big Surprise
August 15, 2014
Last Saturday was another big surprise presentation by Cape Charles Harbor Festival. Venue: Parr Barn — An old white barn at the end of a cornfield, overlooking the marshes and barrier islands of the Atlantic seaside. At the back of the barn, guests were in the periphery of a circular driveway and in the center a maleTaiwanese dancer clad in a billowing black skirt was miming in silence. Boooring.
After 10 minutes I was about to leave when suddenly appearing from the seaside was a female Taiwanese dancer in similar attire but in red, jumping ,writhing, pirouetting gracefully towards the black dancer in unison with a hypnotizing Chinese melody. Hmm — interesting. The two dancers went inside the barn and out came several dancers clad in all white costumes and gestured the audience to go with them inside the barn, up the stairs into the rafters.
Up there, we were enveloped in white smoke as the dancers danced and the audience stared, mesmerized. It felt like I was participating in someone else’s dream. After the sequence, someone started playing the violin by the big barn window with the big moon just hanging outside like a cliched landscape. We went back downstairs to another stage where a very talented husband and wife team (Bridgman and Packard) performed their magical, whimsical dancing as images were projected into a black screen. At times, it was hard to determine whether it was the real person dancing or an image. Totally engrossing.
Many thanks to the organizers and supporters of the Harbor Festival for bringing this avant garde productions to our little town.
– MARIA FRANCIA VARGAS DALKINSKY
Big Bash Saturday at New Yacht Center — All Invited
The Baldwins are throwing open the new Cape Charles Yacht Center to the public Saturday, August 16, for a Cuban salsa dance party as part of the two-week-long Harbor for the Arts Festival. They promise “a huge Party with dancing, food, cash bar, special events, and entertainment.”
The party starts at 8:30 p.m. and goes until midnight. Music is by Orquesta Tropikiimba — Afro-Latino music “guaranteed to get people on their feet and dancing.” That includes Salsa, Timba, Songo, Bolero, Danzon, Cha Cha Cha, Charanga, Rumba, Bachata, Merengue, and Vallenato. Orquesta Tropikiimba is billed as “one of few authentic Afro-Caribbean Orchestras in the Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. area.”
Harbor for the Arts Features ‘Songs of the Sea’
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 13
11 a.m.–1:00 p.m. — Art Instruction in the Art Room (10 Strawberry St.): Techniques in Charcoal: Emerging: Earth, Sky and Water. Exhibiting artist Lana Stephens will work with students on atmospheric charcoal techniques. Lana will teach reductive methods and techniques to illustrate the various effects of charcoal on Mylar. Lana enjoys the smooth slick surface of Mylar and has perfected how to get powdery charcoal to stick to the surface. $45 — call 757 331-2787 to register.
8 p.m. — Songs of the Sea at the Palace Theatre: A music and art collaboration by Lana Stephens and Simon Petersson. Petersson’s song cycle, inspired by the poem “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allen Poe, consists of 10 songs that work together and tell a story of lost love and inescapable tragedy. Stephens’ charcoal drawing are expressive and dream-like, oscillating between reality and fantasy. The work is strongly influenced by the landscape of Southern Sweden as the majority of the visual and music was created in Sweden. Composer Lee Jordan Anders will accompany the performance. [Read more…]
Harbor for Arts Continues with Comedy, Classes, Jazz
TUESDAY AUGUST 12
3 p.m. — Local Thespians at the Coffee House: Poet and author Robert Arthur together with the Edge Theatre cast will perform skits, readings and poetry.
4 p.m., 8 p.m. — Let’s Get Funny! at the Palace Theatre: Workshops 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a comedy show at 8 p.m. Comedy show will include 20 minutes for ages 10-17 followed by 20 minutes for the adult group and then 20 minutes by The Pushers Team. Workshop is $35 — Call (757) 331-2787.
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 13
11 a.m.–1:00 p.m. — Art Instruction in the Art Room (10 Strawberry St.): Techniques in Charcoal: Emerging: Earth, Sky and Water. Exhibiting artist Lana Stephens will work with students on atmospheric charcoal techniques. Lana will teach reductive methods and techniques to illustrate the various effects of charcoal on Mylar. Lana enjoys the smooth slick surface of Mylar and has perfected how to get powdery charcoal to stick to the surface. $45 — call 757 331-2787 to register.
8 p.m. — Songs of the Sea at the Palace Theatre: A music and art collaboration by Lana Stephens and Simon Petersson. Petersson’s song cycle, inspired by the poem “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allen Poe, consists of 10 songs that work together and tell a story of lost love and inescapable tragedy. Stephens’ charcoal drawing are expressive and dream-like, oscillating between reality and fantasy. The work is strongly influenced by the landscape of Southern Sweden as the majority of the visual and music was created in Sweden. Composer Lee Jordan Anders will accompany the performance.
THURSDAY AUGUST 14
11 a.m. — Shimmer Swimmers at the Cape Charles Library: Shadow puppets that will surprise and delight all audiences. Songs to sing, sign language to learn, and more stories, including one about a beautiful, stranded mermaid.
7 p.m. — L’Tanya Mari Jazz Duo at Aqua at Kings Creek Marina: L’Tanya Mari’ is a nationally recognized and critically acclaimed jazz vocalist and creative arranger. Her 2009 recording “A Teardrop of Sun” landed her in a top spot on the American Jazz Charts. Her soaring voice, along with impeccable intonation, clear articulation and a confident, swinging delivery, has solidified Mari’ as a commanding force in the jazz vocal genre.
CLICK for additional information about performances during the Harbor for the Arts Festival.
VIDEO: Street Music from Elvis and Tony
Elvis Lives!
Jim Smith returned to Cape Charles Saturday, August 9, for his fourth local appearance as Elvis — this time street-side. Watch “Walk a Mile in My Shoes.”
Old Man and the Fountain
Meanwhile, up Mason Avenue, Tony Sacco performed old favorites outside the Stage Door Gallery. Watch “Summertime.”
HARBOR FOR THE ARTS
Art Rocks the Inns, Air Force Jazz Band
The second annual Harbor for the Arts Festival August 1-17 includes live free entertainment in public spaces in Cape Charles. Dance, music, art, and theatre is being presented at the harbor, the park, Strawberry Street, Mason Avenue, and even Bill Parr’s barn on Seaside Road. The festival includes an international dance workshop that will engage filmmakers, choreographers, and dancers.
SUNDAY AUGUST 10
8:30 a.m. — Yoga in Central Park: Start your day with a body/mind practice. Various teachers coming from the local Hampton Roads Area and from as far away as Chicago will be teaching many different forms and styles of yoga practice.
1-4 p.m. — Art Rocks the Inns (B&Bs): The porches of the Bed & Breakfasts and inns of Cape Charles will be rocking with artwork. Each Bed and Breakfast 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 5 properties, all located in Cape Charles’ historic downtown district, and within 3/4 mile of one another.
Chesapeake Bay View B&B, 212 Bay Avenue: Karen Jolly Davis, beach glass jewelry; Melissa Stein, stained glass art; Gary Williams, etched glass
Sea Gate Bed & Breakfast, 9 Tazewell Avenue: Mama Girl, Black Folk Art and Newspaper Sculpturing
Bay Haven Inn, 403 Tazewell Avenue: Heather Gladden, ink wash sketches, photography, and pen illustrations of nature with a surreal twist; Two-Bit Tiaras, unique tiaras weaved from steel wire and embellished with anything from clamshells and freshwater pearls, and other repurposed objects
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: Ten Good Sheep, handcrafted natural fibers to adorn your body and home including bracelets, hats, ornaments, felted soap balls, and Muttmellows (doggie toys); Terre Ittner,”Banner in a Card” greeting cards that unfold into ribboned banners for all occasions; Carolyn Osmond, nautically inspired small framed pictures, greeting cards and note cards; Terence Smith, watercolor and pastel paintings inspired by nature, with a focus on the Eastern seaboard
4 p.m. — Songs From A Distant Cockpit, Palace Theatre: Local author and resident John Schulz puts you in the cockpit of a single-seat, single-engine fighter plane as he and others trained in the “most dangerous plane ever built.”
7 p.m. — US Air Force Jazz Band, Central Park: “Rhythm in Blue” is a highly entertaining and versatile 13-piece ensemble that 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 picnic. Wine and Margaritas available.
CLICK for additional information about performances during the Harbor for the Arts Festival.
WEEKEND HARBOR FOR THE ARTS
Jazz, Elvis, Drums, Yoga, Stories and More
August 8, 2014
The second annual Harbor for the Arts Festival August 1-17 includes live free entertainment in public spaces in Cape Charles. Dance, music, art, and theatre is being presented at the harbor, the park, Strawberry Street, Mason Avenue, and even Bill Parr’s barn on Seaside Road. The festival includes an international dance workshop that will engage filmmakers, choreographers, and dancers.
FRIDAY AUGUST 8
11 a.m. — Galapogas George, Barefoot Puppet Theatre, Cape Charles Library: Based on the true story of “Lonesome George,” this show tells the tale of a truly one-on-a-kind tortoise from the Galapagos Islands. Described by The Smithsonian as “an uplifting eco-fable,” this engaging theatrical piece shares an important lesson about man’s impact upon the environment.
7 p.m. — Okyerema Asante on Strawberry Street: Okyerema Asante is a renowned master percussionist and the music ambassador of Ghana. Asante is truly an African music legend, having worked with world renowned musicians including Little Feet and Hugh Masekela. He has been on three world tours, once with Paul Simon on the Graceland tour and twice with Fleetwood Mac on the Behind the Mask and Tango in the Night tours. As a soloist and a one-man ensemble. Mr. Asante is a master drummer well known for performing all parts of a traditional five-person drum group by himself. He attaches percussion instruments to various parts of his body and simultaneously plays drums, a balafon, and many other instruments. He plays as many as 85 instruments in one performance. Coming from a family of drummers, Asante is an expert of traditional Ghanaian talking drums.
SATURDAY AUGUST 9
8:30 a.m. — Yoga in Central Park: Start your Saturday with a body/mind practice. Various teachers coming from the local Hampton Roads Area and from as far away as Chicago will be teaching many different forms and styles of yoga practice.
11 a.m. — Mike Hawker at the Beachfront: Guitarist Mike Hawker offers easy listening, favorite ballads, and classic oldies — a great mix for an outing with friends!
11 a.m. — Storyteller Mermaid Hales at the Cape Charles Library: As a family-friendly mermaid, Hales seeks to inspire children and feed both their imaginations and their love for the ocean. She believes that children are the future, and a passion for the ocean will lead to a passion for conservation. By encouraging children and adults to make eco-friendly choices, she believe that we can have a brighter, cleaner future. When not a mermaid, she is a student at the University of Virginia, studying Environmental Sciences and German Literature.
2-4 p.m. — Elvis, Roy Orbison, and Patsy Cline on Mason Avenue: Enjoy a family show that will take you on a musical ride thru the 50s, 60s and 70s with hits from Roy, Patsy and the King while mixing in some great classics. Shake, Rattle, and Roll with Jim Smith and members of his Memories Band.
Tony Sacco
4-5:30 p.m. — Old Man at the Fountain and Friends on Mason Avenue: Tony Sacco and friends on clarinet and guitar will perform outside the Stage Door Gallery playing traditional tunes and requests.
7 p.m. — Art in a Barn: Interactive Arts Night at Parr Barn, 24021 Seaside Road: Bill Parr’s Seaside barn will be the home of one of the festival’s most unusual events: a night of experimental music, dance, and visual arts. With a full moon rising, Taiwan’s Dancecology, a dance group who performs in nature, will launch an evening of music, sound and light. Guggenheim Fellows Art Bridgman and Myrna Packer will share excerpts of their pioneering dance-film work, restaged inside the barn. Upstairs, a transformed space offers a light and sound experience with a surprise performance by dancers-in-residence. Live music by Charles Grove, drummer Okyerema Asante, and Sheila Sheppard Lovelady. A light sculpture garden and dancers in costumes will light up the night. Cash bar. [Read more…]
THURSDAY HARBOR FOR THE ARTS FESTIVAL
‘Hot Club’ Jazz at the Shanty
“Gypsy Jazz” is Hot Club specialty.
August 7, 2014
The second annual Harbor for the Arts Festival August 1-17 includes live free entertainment in public spaces in Cape Charles. Dance, music, art, and theatre is being presented at the harbor, the park, Strawberry Street, Mason Avenue, and even Bill Parr’s barn on Seaside Road. The festival includes an international dance workshop that will engage filmmakers, choreographers, and dancers.
THURSDAY AUGUST 7
7 p.m. — Le Hot Club de Biglick, Shanty Restaurant, Town Harbor: In the 1930s, a style of music became popular known as “Gypsy Jazz.” This style of music was made famous by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Gypsy Jazz began with French musicians trying to emulate the jazz music coming out of America, while incorporating the gypsy influences that flavor their music. Today this music is kept alive by a group known as Le Hotclub de Biglick. The authentic gypsy sound is brought to the group by violinist Dan Adams of Bucovina (first chair violinist in national Philharmonic orchestras of Lautari, Doina Moldovei, and Balada). Sponsored in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
FRIDAY AUGUST 8
11 a.m. — Galapogas George, Barefoot Puppet Theatre, Cape Charles Library: Based on the true story of “Lonesome George,” this show tells the tale of a truly one-on-a-kind tortoise from the Galapagos Islands. Described by The Smithsonian as “an uplifting eco-fable,” this engaging theatrical piece shares an important lesson about man’s impact upon the environment. This show was funded in part by a grant from the Puppeteers of America Endowment Fund and was awarded an UNIMA Citation of Excellence in 2005. The Barefoot Puppets Theatre shows feature contemporary adaptations of world folktales, classic tales with a twist, myths, and works based on true stories. The scripts, puppets, music, and sets are all original. Program sponsored in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts. Space is limited.
7 p.m. — Okyerema Asante on Strawberry Street: Okyerema Asante is a renowned master percussionist and the music ambassador of Ghana. Asante is truly an African music legend, having worked with world renowned musicians including Little Feet and Hugh Masekela. He has been on three world tours, once with Paul Simon on the Graceland tour and twice with Fleetwood Mac on the Behind the Mask and Tango in the Night tours. As a soloist and a one-man ensemble. Mr. Asante is a master drummer well known for performing all parts of a traditional five-person drum group by himself. He attaches percussion instruments to various parts of his body and simultaneously plays drums, a balafon, and many other instruments. He plays as many as 85 instruments in one performance. Coming from a family of drummers, Asante is an expert of traditional Ghanaian talking drums. [Read more…]
