CCTA Announces Reformatted Broadway Prep Program

Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts’ (CCTA) Broadway Prep class will continue to focus on preparing students for upcoming auditions, introducing them to Broadway classics and teaching the fundamentals of the Young Columbians style of musical showcase, in addition to cultivating a Broadway Revue for the final showcase.
Additionally, a new format will incorporate masterclasses twice a month to help performers improve their theater knowledge. Masterclasses will include Theatrical Make-Up, Stage Combat, Improvisation, Broadway Hip-Hop, Tap Basics and résumé writing. Students also will have the chance to have a professional headshot taken.

This class is appropriate for children ages 8–15 with all levels of musical theater background. Classes begin Feb. 22 at CCTC, 6655 Dobbin Road, Unit 4, Columbia. For more information, visit www.CCTArts.org.

Girls on the Run of Central Maryland Selected for Pilot Program

Girls on the Run of Central Maryland was chosen by its national parent organization, Girls on the Run International, to participate in an access and inclusion pilot program for the Spring 2018 season.

An Access and Inclusion Initiative grant from Target and Procter & Gamble made it possible for the organization to develop a curriculum adaptations guide and new coach training modules to ensure the activities in the program are accessible and inclusive for girls with sensory, cognitive and physical disabilities. The guide and training program were developed in partnership with the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD), a public health practice and resource center on health promotion for people with disability.

Girls on the Run of Central Maryland is one of only 14 out of a network of more than 200 councils nationwide selected to pilot the new program. Local volunteer coaches will receive the curriculum adaptation guide and additional specialized training before the Spring Girls on the Run Season begins in March 2018.

Girls on the Run Names Lisa Martin Energy Award Winner

Girls on the Run of Central Maryland has selected Shannon Biggs as the winner of this year’s Lisa Martin Energy Award. Named after the founder of Girls on the Run of Central Maryland, the award is given annually to one coach who has shown incredible energy and commitment to Girls on the Run’s mission — inspiring girls to be joyful, healthy and confident.

Biggs has served as a volunteer coach for Girls on the Run of Central Maryland since the fall of 2010. This spring marks her 16th season as a coach at Bollman Bridge Elementary School.

Artists’ Gallery Features All-Member Show: ‘Love in the Winter’

Running through Feb. 25, Artists’ Gallery in Ellicott City is providing “Love in the Winter,” a show featuring work by all of the gallery’s member artists, aimed at inspiring romance and gifts for Valentine’s Day.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 3–5 p.m. All artwork will be sold at a 10% discount on Feb. 10–11.
Artists’ Gallery, located at 8197 Main Street, Ellicott City, is a member-owned gallery showcasing many different types of media. Visit artistsgalleryec.com for gallery hours.

‘All She Must Possess’ Premieres at Rep Stage This Month

“All She Must Possess,” playwright Susan McCully’s original production about Baltimore’s famed Cone sisters, will premiere at Rep Stage, the professional regional theater in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), Feb. 8–25.

Directed by Joseph W. Ritsch, the story centers around Miss Etta Cone, who, with her sister Dr. Claribel Cone, voraciously collected art and curios from around the world. The production is a highly theatrical celebration of Etta’s life, in which works of art come alive and her one-time lover, Gertrude Stein, sings her praises while the audience watches her journey from society laughingstock to doyen of modernity.

“All She Must Possess” is Rep Stage’s production in participation with the 2018 DC Women’s Voices Theater Festival.

The show will be performed in the Studio Theatre of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center (HVPA), on the campus of HCC, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. There will be post-show discussions on Feb. 11 and 23, and a pre-show lecture prior to the 2 p.m. performance on Feb. 24.

Tickets are $40 for general admission, $35 for seniors and the military and $15 for students with a current ID. Thursdays are $10 performances. For tickets and additional information, visit www.repstage.org or call the box office at 443-518-1500.

New Exhibit Explores Historical Clothing from Era of Baltimore’s Famed Cone Sisters

A new exhibit of historical women’s clothing from the era of Baltimore’s famed Cone sisters is on display at Howard Community College’s Rouse Company Foundation Gallery. Dr. Claribel and Miss Etta Cone, daughters of German-Jewish immigrants, chose not to live unassuming lives in Baltimore at the turn of the century, but instead they traveled the world, amassing one of the world’s greatest modern art collections. The exhibit was developed in connection with the Rep Stage world premiere of “All She Must Possess,” a theatrical celebration of Etta Cone’s extraordinary life.

The exhibit provides an opportunity to view historical garments from the era in which the Cone sisters lived and to learn more about the fashion tastes shared by two of Baltimore’s most famous doyens of modernity. The exhibit showcases clothing and accessories used for everyday wear, traveling, evenings out and formal occasions. The exhibit also includes the historical clothing and photographs that inspired Julie Potter, costume designer for “All She Must Possess,” as she developed the costumes worn by the play’s actors.

Accompanying the clothing are Potter’s original renderings of the costumes.

The Cone sisters’ style was simple, conservative, and somewhat austere. They did not adapt to current trends, but instead favored petticoats and long skirts. Their choice in clothing is interesting, juxtaposed with their passion for collecting artifacts and art, which was anything but conservative and plain. As a result, their art collections were modern, exotic and colorful.

The clothing exhibit runs through March 11 in The Rouse Company Foundation Gallery, which is located in the lobby of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center. Free and open to the public, the gallery hours are Monday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m. For more information on the gallery and the exhibit, visit www.howardcc.edu/galleries.

Howard County Seeks Nominees for ‘Community Sports Hall of Fame’

Nomination forms are now available for Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks’ 2018 “Community Sports Hall of Fame.” The award recognizes outstanding individuals who have gained prominence in or made substantial contributions to community recreational sports in Howard County.

Coaches, managers, league officials, commissioners or behind-the-scenes contributors closely identified with community recreational sports can be nominated. In addition, nominees must either be residents of Howard County or have made their community sports contributions primarily in Howard County.

Nomination forms are available at www.howardcountymd.gov/halloffame or by calling the Department of Recreation & Parks at 410-313-4711. All nominations must be delivered or postmarked by Sunday, April 15, to: Howard County Community Sports Hall of Fame, 7120 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD 21046.
Individuals chosen for this year’s class will be inducted into the Community Sports Hall of Fame at the 16th annual Celebration of Sports in October.

Dragonfly Arts Magazine Is Currently Accepting Submissions

Dragonfly Arts Magazine, a publication of HopeWorks made possible by the Howard County Arts Council through a grant from Howard County Government, is currently accepting submissions from the public-at-large in the following formats: poetry, photography, sketch, short story, mixed-media, sculpture, painting or prose.

Themes for submitted work (both visual and literary) should focus on reflections about relationships, love, advocacy, social justice, trauma, intersectionality, hope, self-care and healing.

The submission deadline is Feb. 28. Early submission is encouraged. Acceptance notifications will e-mailed by May 2018.
Email or call Vanita Leatherwood, director of community engagement, at 410-997-0304 with questions.

NinjaBe Obstacle Course Comes to Howard County

Inspired by the challenges of the “American Ninja Warrior” TV show, new indoor-challenge center NinjaBe brings the latest fitness craze to Howard County.

The 25,000-square-foot center, located at 9301 Snowden River Parkway, Columbia, is packed with obstacles, an ultimate dodge ball court, climbing walls and even mechanical bulls.
Week-long camp sessions for children ages 7 and up will be offered beginning in June.

NACPS to Present ‘Icons of the Harlem Renaissance’

The Northern Arundel Cultural Preservation Society (NACPS) will present “The Salon: Icons of the Harlem Renaissance,” on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 1 p.m. The show focuses on the Harlem Renaissance, featuring notable African-American philosophers, writers, musicians, singers, dancers, comedians and actors of the period.

To be held at the Chesapeake Arts Center, 194 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, the show is free to the public. For more information, visit www.nacpsibh.com.

HCAC Celebrating 21st Annual Celebration of the Arts

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) will mark 21 years of recognizing the local arts community’s stars at its signature event, the Celebration of the Arts in Howard County gala, to be held Saturday, March 24, from 6–10 p.m. at the Peter and Elizabeth Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center at Howard Community College.

The evening will begin with a reception featuring artwork and musical performances in the Studio Theatre. At 8 p.m., guests will move to the Smith Theatre for the live presentation of the Rising Star Performing Artists Competition and the 2017 Howie Awards; seats also will be available in the Studio Theatre for a simulcast of the show. Then, the HCAC’s 2018 Arts Scholarship recipients will be announced.

Buddy and Sue Emerson will act as honorary chairs for the evening. Myron “Mo” Dutterer, recipient of the 2003 Howie Award for Outstanding Arts Educator and a member of the Howard County theater community, will serve as event emcee.

The Rising Star Performing Arts Competition showcases 10 young performing solo artists and/or small ensembles (ages 18–35). These artists will be vying for a no-strings-attached, $5,000 professional development award; the winner will be selected by the audience.

The ten finalists performing at the Celebration are: Keely Bosworth Borland, classical voice; Tyler Fitzpatrick, jazz guitar; Lindsey Landry, musical theater; Benjamin Lurye, musical theater; Elizabeth Milligan, flute; Brian Nabors, musical yheater; Arelle Oberlander, classical voice; Pacing Bodies (Ryan Bailey & Maia Schechter), dance; Junghoon Park, piano; and Alexandra Rodrick, classical voice.

For more information, visit www.hocoarts.org/explore/learn-participate/celebration-of-the-arts.

ARTsites: Integrating Art Into the Community In Public Spaces With Innovative Sculptures

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) is seeking up to 12 artists to participate in its Seventh Annual Juried Public Art Competition for a temporary outdoor exhibit from August 2018–July 2019. HCAC’s goal is to make art more accessible to the entire community by placing sculpture at sites throughout Howard County. The sculpture will serve as visual anchor points that will enhance and activate community spaces and generate interest in public art.

HCAC will administer the selection process and provide an identification plaque for each work and promotional support for the exhibit. HCAC staff will serve as liaison with site administrators. Sale of artwork will be encouraged but work must remain on view for the duration of the entire exhibit.

Up to 12 artists will be provided a $2,500 grant to cover the temporary loan, insurance, installation, de-installation and repairs to the sculpture. If multiple pieces are selected from one artist, a separate grant will be awarded for each piece.

The competition is open to all professional visual artists, aged 18 and older, with public art experience commensurate with this project’s scope. HCAC board, staff and their immediate family members, and selection panelists and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate. In addition to finished pieces, proposed work will also be considered. For full details, visit www.hocoarts.org.

Paint It! Ellicott City to Be Held July 6–8

Paint It! Ellicott City, an annual event bringing artists and spectators interested in the plein air tradition to Historic Ellicott City. Both juried and Open Paint artists set up their easels around the historic district as they capture the mill town.

A popular feature of the event is the Quick Draw competition – open to both juried and Open Paint artists – in which artists take a plein air painting from start to finish in just two hours. A pop-up exhibit and sale of work completed during the Quick Draw will take place during the competition.

Paint It! culminates in an exhibit of juried artists’ work in the Howard County Arts Council gallery, that features an opening reception and juror’s award presentation. A one-night exhibit of work created by Open Paint artists is also on view, then moved to a temporary exhibit at the Howard County Tourism Welcome Center in Ellicott City. Artists and visitors may view and purchase the finished pieces during the reception.

The deadline to apply for the juried portion of the event is April 27. Applications for the non-juried Open Paint portion of the event will be available in May. For more information, visit www.hocoarts.org.