In this economy, consider a 'staycation' at a gallery

As a purveyor of local talent, the Norwich Arts Council is always working on bringing quality programming to the area or supporting those who do. And as Governor Jodi Rell promotes her Staycation in Connecticut again for another year, we hope you’ll consider a visit to our gallery or theater as well as some of the many other little cultural gems nearby.

Local talent is a unique investment. Currently there are two juried shows in the area which display some very fine examples of that talent, and NAC is working on delivering another stage production for the spring season.

Gallery

The Photo Five juried exhibit, which is currently on display in the NAC Co-op Gallery until May 30, opened with a reception on First Friday, May 1 and offered a surprising diversity. Ubiquitous in art photo subject matter—perhaps especially in New England—landscapes appear in various forms in this show, but there are also sensual figure studies, contemporary portraits with social messages, and abstracted objects reduced to obscure fragments of light and color. Juror Richard Paul Hoyer, professor in photography at the Paier Collage of Art, selected 38 photographs out of 85 hopeful entries, and the result shows a range of technique and inspiration.

There are a number of notable photographs in this show from both avid professionals and first-time exhibitors, but only three award winners. Mark Starr won first place for his work entitled “The Spreader,” Jill McLaughlin’s “Fortune Teller” came in second place, and Carol Sward Comeau earned third place with “Missing Link.”

Another juried show worth looking at is the Fourth Crossing Annual Juried Show at the Hygienic Art Gallery in New London, which will run until May 23. The show’s premise is to coax people into literally crossing over the physical borders that divide the towns in the Southeastern region of Connecticut to view art in neighboring communities. Crossing over those borders are 5 of NAC’s Elected and Associate Co-op artists—Susan Parish, Ralph Levesque, Rita Dawley, Mara Gillen Beckwith and Allison Ives—all of whom have work accepted in the exhibit. The work in this show—juried this year by Joy M. Pepe, art historian and Professor Emerita of Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts—is bold, ranging from edgy to colorfully comic to stark and contemplative, and overall an impressive display. Various types of media were allowed, and the show had no particular theme so the work was very eclectic. Fourth Crossing will run through Saturday May 23. Check out the Hygienic website www.hygienic.org for gallery hours.

Theater

With the First Friday Live Sounds season over for 2008-2009 the Donald L. Oat stage is open for a spring theatrical production. NAC has been working on a revival of its community theater in the last couple years; last year’s production was the nostalgic juke-box-era revue Smokey Joe’s Café in May, which came after the production scheduled to premier two years ago, The Secret Garden, was cancelled due to funding. In the works this year is a production of the comedy “Hocus Pocus,” a contemporary prince-and-the-pauper romp by Jack Popplewell that audiences in our current economy can easily appreciate. The story centers on the hapless Reverend Simon Ross, who finds himself in precarious financial straits when he uses up his inheritance to repair his weathered old parish and finds himself overwhelmed in debt. His twin brother, Peter Ross, is a financier who is also embroiled in financial troubles of his own. The two brothers agree to switch places and try to solve the mess the other brother has made for himself. Theresa Broach will be directing this antic-filled comedy with Mark Foster playing the double lead as The Reverend Simon Ross and Peter Ross.

Performances will be May 29, 30, and June 4, 5, and 6 at 7:30pm with a matinee Sunday May 31 at 2pm. Tickets are on sale now at $14 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. More to follow on this production.

While our website is under construction, visit us on Facebook for more info, or call 860-887-2789 or email administration@norwicharts.org

-Joe Matovic

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Cinema bringing in award winning films (6/5/2010)

Exhibit conveys ‘beach-ness’ (6/20/09)

Community cinema offers affordable entertainment (6/6/09)

Young immigrants get chance to express themselves (5/23/09)

In this economy, consider a 'staycation' at a gallery (5/9/09)

Supporting the arts means supporting who we are (4/25/09)