Tickets on sale for Wheeler Theatre’s ‘Mamma Mia!’

Submitted information:Tickets on sale for Wheeler Theatre's 'Mamma Mia!'

Wheeler High School Theatre rocks to ABBA’s timeless hits in the hilarious feel-good musical, Mamma Mia! April 18, 19 & 20 at 7 pm and April 20 & 21 at 2 pm. 

Told through Swedish pop group ABBA’s timeless music and inspiring the 2008 hit movie starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, Mamma Mia! tells the uplifting story of a young woman’s search for her birth father on the eve of her own wedding. Non-stop laughs, explosive dance numbers, the magical backdrop of a Greek island paradise, and infectious hits like “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and “The Winner Takes It All” make Mamma Mia! a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! 

Mamma Mia! is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Rated PG -13. Take a chance on Wheeler Theatre for an ABBA-solutely amazing evening and see why people all around the world have fallen in love with this sunny, funny feel-good show! 

ADVANCE TICKETS are $12 at WHEELERHS.BOOKTIX.COM. Tickets at the door: $20 for adults; $15 for students with ID; $12 for kids 12 and under. CCSD Faculty/Staff receive one free ticket at the door with ID.

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Mt. Bethel Christian Academy appoints new theater director

Submitted information:

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is thrilled to announce new leadership to further develop its theater program. Mrs. Brittany Leazer will be joining the Academy’s faculty as Theater Director, overseeing our drama program schoolwide. Mrs. Leazer is the owner/artistic director of Brittany Leazer Productions, the leading student theater organization in the region.Mt. Bethel Christian Academy appoints new theater director

Mrs. Leazer will be teaching Upper and Middle School drama classes, producing theatrical performances, and leading a Lower School after-school program. Mr. David Coheley, the school’s current Band Director, with his superlative career as a band instructor, will be focusing on building the band program schoolwide as well, developing new opportunities to accommodate school growth.  

“As a lower, middle, and upper school parent, I am excited about the future of MBCA,” said Mrs. Leazer. I hope to bring my many years of experience in acting, directing, and teaching theater to propel our school to excellence in Performing Arts.”

Mrs. Leazer and her husband, Mike, are parents of three MBCA students. She is an award-winning professional who has produced and directed over 60 children’s and young adult productions and is passionate about doing so from a Christ-centered approach. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Acting and a Master’s Degree in Playwriting. Passion for theater and teaching drives Brittany to help students reach their goals and shine on stage; she is excited about the future of MBCA and is committed to excellence in the performing arts. 

“We know the potential of these kids,” said Mrs. Leazer. “Our family has been, and will continue to be, a part of MBCA for a really long time, and I’m so excited to see the Performing Arts grow.”

Founded in 1998, Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is an independent, Christian preparatory school serving 700 students in Junior Kindergarten – twelfth grade. The school has two campuses in east Cobb County. Both campuses provide an extraordinary, Christ-centered environment where students are academically challenged, nurtured, and loved. 

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‘Music in the Park’ concerts resume Sunday at East Cobb Park

The spring season of Music in the Park at East Cobb Park kicks off Sunday with a concert by Surrender Hill, a duo of Robin Dean Salmon and Afton Seekins featuring folk, country and Americana songs.

The concert takes place at the concert stage from 4-6 p.m. and is free to the public. Attendees may bring lawn chairs, blankets and food and drink.

Music in the Park is presented by the Friends for the East Cobb Park volunteers and is sponsored by Wellstar Health Park, the Rotary Club of East Cobb, Frameworks Gallery and Site One Landscape and Supply.

Music in the Park continues on April 14 with the local duo The Woody’s, on May 19 with the Dark Star Brothers and on June 2 with Jeannie Caryn.

A fall series of concerts will be announced later.

 

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‘COVID burnout’ author to speak at Sewell Mill Library

Dr. Dhaval Desai, author of “Burning Out on the COVID Front Lines: A Doctor’s Memoir of Fatherhood, Race and Perseverance in the Pandemic,” will speak about his memoir Tuesday at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road).

'COVID burnout' author to speak at Sewell Mill Library
Dr. Dhaval Desai

He will be in conversation from 6:30-8 p.m. with veteran broadcaster Jeff Hullinger about his book.

Desai, who is director of hospital medicine at Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital and as a pediatric hospitalist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, writes about life during the pandemic.

“As a new father, frontline physician and healthcare leader on the brink of burnout, and a member of an ethnic minority in the South, his tale is marked by chaotic intersections,” the Cobb Public Library System said in a release. “Throughout, his commitment to fostering and advocating for caring and compassion in the practice of medicine shines as Desai shares his unique perspective.

The event is sponsored by Cobb County Public Library and Cobb Collaborative, which focuses on its Mind Your Mind mental health initiative, literacy and civic engagement.

Copies of the book will be available at for purchase from The Book Worm Bookstore and signing by the author. Dr. Desai will donate all proceeds to the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, which focuses on the de-stigmatization of mental health for healthcare workers and suicide awareness.

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East Cobb Quilters Club challenge quilts on exhibit in March

Three locations in East Cobb are among the six venues from the Cobb County Public Library (CCPL) and Cultural Affairs Division of Cobb PARKS’ arts centers to feature quilt exhibits throughout the county in March.East Cobb Quilters Club challenge quilts on exhibit in March

They’re “challenge quilts” from an East Cobb Quilters’ Club competition, and they’ll be on exhibit from March 4-29.

The Sewell Mill Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road) will exhibit all of the challenge quilts which were created in this yearly competition among guild members. The theme for 2023 was “Musical Madness” that challenged members to choose a favorite musical selection or type of music and create a quilt inspired by their choice.

This year’s winner (in photo) is “Canyon Melody” by Janice Chiaffredo, which was inspired by Native American flute songs. For more visit https://ecqg.com/quilts-on-display/.

Quilts also are on exhibit at The Art Place (3330 Sandy Plains Road) and the Mountain View Regional Library (3320 Sandy Plains Road).

From April 13-May 29 The Mable House Arts Center will present an exhibit as part of “Quilts on Display” that will feature award winning quilts from prior “Georgia Celebrates Quilts” shows.

“This is such an exciting year for the Guild,” East Cobb Quilters’ Guild president Devon Pfeif said.

“We are so appreciative of our strong relationships with both Cobb Libraries and Arts Centers and to have the opportunity to share our talents with the community through these exhibits. I am proud to be part of this amazing and talented group of women and men quilters.”

“Quilts On Display” exhibits lead up to Georgia’s largest continuing juried and judged quilt show, the East Cobb Quilters’ Guild “Georgia Celebrates Quilts show with over 300 quilts by artists from all over Georgia. The show is held every other year and this year will occur June 6-8. For information visit https://www.georgiacelebratesquilts.com/.

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2024 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival returns to Merchants Walk

A total of 10 screenings of the 2024 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival will take place at the GTC Merchants Walk Cinema this weekend.2024 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival returns to Merchants Walk

The films take place from Friday-Sunday, with tickets ranging from $16-$18 (full schedule here).

Prime-time screenings include Seven Blessings (Saturday, 7:40p) and Home (Sunday, 7:30p).

The former was the winner of 10 Israel Academy Awards in 2023, telling the story of a boisterous Moroccan-Jewish clan reunites for a cross-cultural wedding that surfaces festering secrets” in early 1990s Jerusalem. This is the Atlanta premiere.

The latter is a true-crime drama featuring “a newly married young man’s ambition to open a computer store in his ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood,” and which “begets a shocking clash of tradition versus modernity.” The film was nominated for nine Israeli Academy Awards in 2023.

The festival includes in-person screenings of 31 feature films at four other venues in metro Atlanta through Feb. 26, then streaming from Feb. 27-March 7.

For ticket and other information, click here.

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M2R Traveling Fence Art Gallery comes to Town Center Community

M2R Traveling Fence Art Gallery comes to Town Center Community
Artist Diane Yancey’s work of Cobb’s iconic Lost Mountain Store is part of the traveling M2R gallery at Aviation Park through March 9.

Submitted information:

Town Center Community will host the M2R Traveling Fence Art Gallery in Aviation Park February 10 to March 9. The curated outdoor installation features high-resolution, printed images of original artwork from artists and photographers of all ages.

“This is our third year hosting the gallery,” said Jennifer Hogan, Director, Town Center Community. “It takes hard work and collaboration to install and remove the panels, but it is worth it because this is how we create a vibrant community people want to visit.”

Produced by the Marietta Arts Council, the yearly gallery debuts at M2R Trailfest and stays in Marietta for a 60-day exhibition before traveling to different locations throughout Cobb County. Newly printed weather-safe panels are installed at each location on a predetermined schedule.

After visiting Aviation Park, the gallery continues to Concord Road Linear Park and Arboretum in Smyrna, the last stop on the tour.

For more information or to view the online catalog of all works selected for the 2023-2024 gallery, visit M2rfence.com.

The Marietta Arts Council is currently accepting applications for the 2024-2025 exhibit until midnight March 24, 2024.

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Marietta History Center to take part in ‘Super Museum Sunday’

Submitted information:Marietta History Center to take part in 'Super Museum Sunday'

The Marietta History Center recently announced that it will participate in the Georgia History Festival’s Super Museum Sunday on February 11, 2024.  Super Museum Sunday is part of the annual Georgia History Festival, the signature K-12 educational program of the Georgia Historical Society, reaching hundreds of thousands of students statewide.

The Marietta History Center will join over 100 historic sites, house museums, art museums, and other points of interest throughout Georgia that will open their doors to the public. These sites will offer a variety of in-person and virtual experiences that encourage Georgians of all ages to explore and experience the history, arts, and cultural opportunities of our great state.

At the Marietta History Center, guests will have the chance to discover the largest collection of artifacts relating to Marietta and Cobb County. From intriguing exhibits to engaging experiences, our mission is to ignite curiosity and foster connections through the compelling stories of our local history. Don’t miss this opportunity to uncover the hidden gems of Marietta’s past and create lasting memories with your loved ones.

Super Museum Sunday is supported by Delta Airlines.

For more information and to see which museums and sites are participating in your area, visit https://georgiahistoryfestival.org/events/2024-super-museum-sunday/

 

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Cobb New Horizons Band to honor late Wheeler band director

The Cobb New Horizons Symphony Band, which is made up of senior adults, will hold a special concert Thursday to honor the memory of Wheeler High School band director Madison Argo.Wheeler HS band director dies

The concert takes place at 12 p.m. at the school, and will include works from John Williams and John Philip Sousa.

Another featured piece is “The Mandalorian” by Ludwig Göransson and which will be conducted by Debbie Davies, Wheeler’s first female marching band drum major.

A Cobb County School District spokesperson said the concert is not open to the public and had been scheduled before Argo’s death.

Here’s what Dr. Charles Jackson, head of Cobb New Horizons, said:

“We planned this concert several weeks ago but a new required form was created in the Cobb County Schools requiring visiting groups to go through an additional extensive vetting process. During the delay is when the passing of Madison Argo occurred. When I realized that our concert was going to take place after such a sudden and unexpected loss, I thought it would be nice to dedicate the program to celebrating his life. All of the 98 senior adult members of my band were inspired during their youth by a band director like Madison Argo who instilled a love of making music that was so deep and profound, that it inspired these people to continue playing their band instrument over the course of their life. Some members have now been playing for 50, 60, and over 70 years!  What a great legacy for a teacher to share with the world. I want his students to know that he dedicated his life to something that will add beauty and enjoyment over the rest of their life and they should never give up on this gift that he helped them to develop.

Argo, 32, was in his second year as director of the Wheeler band programs when he died on Sept. 28. A cause of death has not been announced; his family has raised more than $18,000 for burial expenses.

He was a native of Alabama and graduated from Auburn University, where he was a drum major. Argo earned a master’s degree in fine arts from Ball State University and performed with the Cobb Wind Symphony, among other local musical organizations in the Atlanta area.

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Walton HS marching band to perform free community show

Walton Band free community show

From JJ McKelvey, Taste of East Cobb event coordinator (and main fundraiser for the Walton Band programs), comes word of a free community show the Walton Raider Marching Band is performing Tuesday.

It starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Raider Valley football stadium (1591 Bill Murdock Road) and it’s the “Alice Underground” show that has won recent multiple awards, including first place at the Buford Marching Band Classic (outstanding music, outstanding visual, and outstanding effect).

Two weeks ago, the Walton band was named Grand Champion, Highest Music Award, Most Entertaining, and several 10 other awards at the Super Bowl of Sound Marching Band Competition at Central High School in Carrollton.

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Wheeler HS Theatre to present Cole Porter’s ‘High Society’

Submited information:Wheeler Theatre presents High Society

Famed socialite Tracy Lord is planning a lavish wedding at her Oyster Bay estate, despite the meddling of her ex-husband and a couple of snooping reporters. Based on the 1939 play, “The Philadelphia Story,” with Katharine Hepburn and the 1956 musical film starring Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra, High Society sparkles with Porter standards such as “Ridin High,” “She’s Got That Thing,” “True Love,” “Let’s Misbehave, and “Well, Did You Evah?”

Join Wheeler Theatre for an elegant, ‘swellegant’ night of mayhem, moonlight, and gorgeous music! High Society is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Arthur Kopit, and additional lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. The production is directed by Atlanta theatre favorite Nick Morrett, with music direction by Thomas Chafin and choreography by Elizabeth Neidel Wexler. Rated PG (11 & up) for depiction of social drinking. 

CCSD Faculty/Staff receive one free ticket with ID. Advance Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at: WHEELERHS.BOOKTIX.COMTickets at the door: $15.

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CenterStage North, Cobb PARKS reach Sunday events agreement

CenterStage North, Cobb PARKS agreement

Following up our story last week about the possibility that CenterStage North might halt its 2024 season at The Art Place-Mountain View due to Sunday staffing issues with Cobb PARKS:

Jonathan Liles, CSN’s managing director, told East Cobb News Friday that the community theater organization and the county have come to an agreement to continue Sunday staffing by employees of The Art Place.

He said he met with Cobb PARKS staff Friday and said that CenterStage North Sunday shows and Sunday musical recitals will continue into 2024.

“We discussed the potential of future partnerships and how it could benefit The Art Place,” Liles said without elaborating.

The county told CenterStage North last month that starting next year The Art Place would be closed to all Sunday activities due to staffing issues at the county-run facility on Sandy Plains Road, located in a complex with the Tim D. Lee Senior Center and the Mountain View Regional Library.

Liles said CenterStage North had been getting inquiries from patrons about the 2024 season. He previously told East Cobb News the all-volunteer non-profit couldn’t exist financially without ticket sales from Sunday matinee performances, and there was no other place to go.

“Without the Sunday revenue, I cannot afford to stay open,” he said.

The Art Place also offers art classes and holds special arts exhibits and receptions. Earlier this year, Sunday musical recitals there were discontinued due to the staffing issues.

East Cobb News has left a message with the county seeking more information.

CenterStage North will soon proceed with planning its 2024 season, which includes four to five performances a year, including a special Christmas event.

“We’d like to thank The Art Place Staff, Cobb Parks and Rec Assistant Director Mario Henson, and Marie Jernigan, the Cultural Affairs Director, for their support and partnership,” Liles said.

The 2024 season is as follows, with ticket sales starting in October:

  • The 39 Steps – Feb 2024
  • Drinking Habits – May 2024
  • Maytag Virgin – August 2024
  • Little Shop of Horrors (Musical, rights pending) – October 2024

 

New Avenue public plaza dubbed ‘East Cobb’s hometown hangout’

Avenue East Cobb celebration

A few hundred spectators decked out in garden-party attire watched as a large green curtain was pulled down Thursday to reveal a new public plaza at Avenue East Cobb.

The centerpiece of the retail center’s redevelopment also features a live music stage, and a high-energy cover band rocked the venue for a couple of hours after that, as guests munched on appetizers from current and forthcoming restaurants, enjoyed cocktails and danced.

More than a year in the making, the new open-air plaza signals a new phase for Avenue, which has been rebranded as it has been re-energized.

An official from North American Properties, which signed on as a management partner last year, calls it “East Cobb’s hometown hangout,” with the purpose tied to getting the public to come, and stay.

Two new “jewel box” restaurants are still under construction, and some outdoor seating has been set up in front of Round Trip Brewing Co., which will be opening a German-style taproom next spring.

Avenue East Cobb celebration

But the plaza is officially open to the public, and continuing events such as Friday night live music are on tap. That includes “Electric Avenue” concerts every Friday from 6-8 p.m. through October.

The plaza features a variety of comfortable chairs and sofas and two bar areas, along with a green turf in front of the stage suitable for spreading out blankets.

Avenue East Cobb celebration
Rev. Dr. Ike Reighard, CEO of MUST Ministries, thanked the attendees.

The venue also includes optional valet parking, which some cocktail party guests took advantage of at Thursday’s event.

The cost was $75 a person, but all the proceeds went to MUST Ministries.

CEO Ike Reighard said the result was $10,000 for the Marietta non-profit, which typically served around 300 homeless clients per night before COVID-19.

That figure shot up to 1,500 a night during the height of the pandemic.

“The only thing that exceeded the level of need was the level of generosity, and that’s what you did,” he said.

Reighard, who’s also senior pastor at Piedmont Church, told the audience that “you won’t hear a minister saying ‘drink up,’ but thank you.”

Avenue East Cobb celebration
Pimiento cheese grit fritters from Peach State Pizza.

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East Cobb art gallery to feature exhibit on natural hair

Submitted information from LM Frame and Gallery:East Cobb art gallery natural hair exhibit

We are proud to announce our new exhibit, “From Embarrassment to Pride,” an art exhibit that deals with the history of natural hair.
The exhibit is for the first time hosted in East Cobb and is a collaboration with Guadeloupean artist Guylaine Conquet.
The opening reception is Sept. 22 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at LM Frame and Gallery (1062 Johnson Ferry Road).

Several African American guest artists may also surprise the public during this special evening.

Artist’s website: Visit.

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Atlanta Opera 2023-24 season features Rigoletto, La Bohème

Atlanta Opera 2023-24 season features Rigoletto, La Boheme

The 2023–24 Atlanta Opera season will be getting underway in a week, with most performances at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.

The opener will take place Sept. 15-Oct. 1 at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, and it will be the East Coast premiere of “The Shining,” based on the Stephen King novel.

The Cobb Energy Center is the venue for the rest of the way, with another horror classic, “Frankenstein,” leading off on Oct. 28 in what’s being called an “imaginative presentation of vintage cinema.” The performance includes a new score for the full orchestra and singers performing live to the film.

Guiseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto will be performed on Nov. 4, 7, 10 and 12 to round out the 2023 calendar year.

Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème will be presented on Jan. 20, 23, 26 and 28, with star tenor Long Long making his Atlanta Opera debut.

Benjamin Britten’s adaptation of the Shakespeare comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” runs on March 2, 5, 8 and 10 featuring countertenor Iestyn Davies and soprano Liv Redpath.

The season finale takes place on April 27 and 30 and May 3 and 5 and it’s Richard Wagner’s “Die Walklüre,” following last year’s Atlanta Opera presentation of Wagner’s “Das Rheingold.”

Tickets are available at www.atlantaopera.org or by calling the ticket office at 404-881-8885 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

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East Cobb Library to hold Fall Writing Series in September

Submitted information:East Cobb Library Fall Writing Series
Are you a writer looking to hone your craft? Join our Fall Writing Series at East Cobb Library:
Saturday, September 9 | 11am – 3pm | “Oh the Drama” A Creative Nonfiction Workshop. Instructor: Brandi Bailey. Register at cobbcat.org/events
.
Tuesday, September 19 | 5:30 pm- 7pm | Writing Fiction: What’s Your Genre? Panelists: Mike Shaw, Katherine Nichols, George Weinstein, Kim Conrey
.
Saturday, September 30 | 11 am – noon | Get Your Material Into Print. Instructors: Kristine Anderson, Kim Zachman. Register at cobbcat.org/events

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CenterStage North 2024 season in limbo at The Art Place

CenterStage North 2024 season in limbo
Lisa Clark and Bob Winsted played leading roles in “Fireflies,” a Texas-based romantic comedy staged at The Art Place in August. Photo: CenterStage North

One of metro Atlanta’s longest-running community theaters said it may not be able to offer a 2024 season due to changes at the Cobb County-owned facility where it stages performances.

Jonathan Liles, managing director of CenterStage North, told East Cobb News that Cobb PARKS (Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs) officials informed him last month that the theater organization won’t be able to have Sunday shows at The Art Place-Mountain View in East Cobb starting next year “due to staffing.”

He said The Art Place will no longer furnish an employee for Sunday activities, including rehearsals and stage set-up, even though CenterStage North pays for an employee to assist with lighting and other technical issues on its show days.

This year, The Art Place discontinued Sunday piano recital activities.

CenterStage North shows take place on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons, typically over a two-week period in The Art Place’s theater that seats between 125-210 people.

Ticket sales fund operational costs for CenterStage North, including rental fees at The Art Place. The board members and actors are all volunteers, as are those who assist with the performances.

“CSN is on a mission to save the arts in Cobb County,” Liles said in a message responding to a request for from East Cobb News for comment. “Without Sundays, we are unable to support this mission.”

The Art Place
The Art Place holds art classes and exhibitions as well as CenterStage North shows.

But Liles said the main concern isn’t operational but financial.

“Without the Sunday revenue, I cannot afford to stay open,” he said.

“The majority of our revenue comes from subscription sales to shows and donations, and we are one of the few arts organizations that stays solvent using this model.”

In addition to Sunday being the best day for volunteer availability, Liles said the Sunday matinees are “the only time some patrons can see a performance. . . . It generates critical revenue that funds operating costs covering the next production.”

Liles said he is meeting with county officials next week to discuss the matter, and he said he’s proposing “creative scheduling with the existing staff” to come up with a solution.

East Cobb News contacted the county for more information.

Spokesman Ross Cavitt said that Cobb PARKS “is dealing with the fact that the Art Place is not staffed for a seven-day-a-week operation with only two full-time and two part-time staffers. The Art Place is the only art center open on Sundays for rentals.”

He said with the center’s hours—10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday—”it has been challenging to keep them staffed,” and that the average Sunday patron turnout is around 30.

The rest of CenterStage North’s 2023 schedule—including a political comedy, “The Outsider,” and its annual Christmas holiday show—will go on.

But this is the time of year that the theater finalizes its schedule for the next year. Liles said that hasn’t been happening, and subscribers have been asking.

“When our patrons ask us why we have not announced our next season, we had to inform them what was happening and that we are unsure that we will be able to have performances next year,” he said.

He said that CenterStage North has no other place to go if it can’t work something out to remain at The Art Place.

“We would have to go on hiatus” in 2024 at the very least, he added.

CenterStage North is an all-volunteer non-profit that has staged community theater performances in Cobb County since the 1970s, initially in the Smyrna area.

The theater group’s current name was adopted in the 1980s and it staged shows at The Steeple House Arts Center, which was located on Johnson Ferry Road at Paper Mill Road.

Center Stage North volunteers work on a set design at The Art Place.

CenterStage North later began leasing space at The Art Place, located on Sandy Plains Road near the Mountain View Regional Library and the Tim D. Lee Senior Center, and began staging full seasons, with quarterly performances, plus special shows for the Christmas holidays.

CenterStage North was set to expand its season subscription to five shows in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic was declared and performances stopped in 2020, and returned in limited fashion in 2021.

Liles said support for the arts has been decreasing since then, and that only CenterStage North and a few children’s theaters serve the East Cobb area.

He noted that in Cobb County “ball fields are open on Sundays. Why not the performing arts facilities? There are organizations clamoring to rent on Sundays if the facility is open.”

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Marietta Art in the Park returns to Square for Labor Day weekend

Art in the Park
The work of South Carolina artist Michael Allen will be featured at Art in the Park.

Submitted information:

Art in the Park has been a part of the Marietta Square’s history since 1986 and takes place in and around the Historic Marietta Square and Glover Park on Labor Day weekend. It is a Marietta signature event and tradition that celebrates the arts featuring local and national artists from around the country.

This fine art extravaganza features an artist market, children’s art alley, and the famous Painted Pots. Art displayed will include paintings, photography, pottery, graphic arts, sculptures, jewelry, and woodworking from 175 of the country’s finest artists. Festival guests will also have the opportunity to visit the unique shops and boutiques; restaurants, museums and galleries, take in a historic walking tour plus much more, all within walking distance of the festival.

The festival is free with plenty of available parking in the Cobb County Park Decks located on Waddell St. at Lawrence St (daily rates apply).

The festival was selected as a Top 200 Art Festival by Sunshine Artist Magazine. As a matter of fact, Marietta Art in the Park is listed as #13 in the nation in the Fine Art and Design category. The festival has always been about the art and artists and we are proud of this accomplishment.  The festival began 37 years ago and has become one of the premier fine art shows in Atlanta, and the only one in Cobb County. This fine art extravaganza features the Artist Market, representing the best in fine handcrafted works by 175 artists from all over the country. Art displayed during the festival includes paintings, photography, pottery, graphic arts, sculptures, jewelry, woodworking and much more. Also included in the festival is the Children’s Art Alley and the Chalk Spot. The festival supports both Marietta City Schools and Cobb County Schools through fund raising efforts during the festival.

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Johnson Ferry Conservatory for the Arts closes after 27 years

Johnson Ferry Conservatory for the Arts closes
Conservatory students performing a recital in April. Photo: Johnson Ferry Conservatory for the Arts

A music school at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church that provided private one-to-one instruction to children closed earlier this month after 27 years.

The Johnson Ferry Conservatory for the Arts announced on a social media posting Monday that it was with “heavy hearts” that it was closing its doors.

The church website noted in a separata message that Johnson Ferry recently hired a consultant to conduct a child safety review across the organization.

“It has been determined that we can no longer allow one adult to be in a room alone with one child. Of course, this directly impacts our model for private music lessons. So, after much prayer and discussion, we have decided that we will be closing the doors of the Conservatory.”

The final day of operation was Aug. 5.

East Cobb News left a message with the church seeking further information. Communications director T.J. King sent a statement nearly identical to the conservatory message, adding that since its inception, the school’s objective has been to “give each student a first-class music lesson in a safe Christian environment.”

The conservatory had more than 20 teachers at the time of its closure, offering instruction in guitar, piano, bassoon, oboe, saxophone, clarinet, viola, violin and voice. The school also conducted recitals (see video below, from April) and other special events featuring the students.

The conservatory message ended by saying that “it has been a privilege to teach thousands of children in East Cobb, and watch them develop their God-given gifts. We pray God’s very best for all of them!”

King added that Johnson Ferry is continuing a children’s music program on Wednesday evening and has student choirs during the week.

“Our church and its many ministries are healthy and growing and we are excited about what the future holds,” King said.

 

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‘Harmonies for Homes’ concert to benefit Habitat for Humanity

Submitted information:Harmonies for Homes concert

Two well-known musicians will headline the third annual “Harmonies for Homes” concert to be held on Sunday, October 8 benefiting Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta. The concert will be held for the first time at the beautiful outdoor City Green amphitheater in Sandy Springs. Tickets and sponsorships are available at: citysprings.com/events/harmonies-homes.   

The singer-songwriter event will feature renowned artist, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls, and guitarist and singer, David Ryan Harris of John Mayer Band. This year Habitat will also welcome Chesley McNeil, Morning Meteorologist from 11Alive, as emcee for the event.  

Emily Saliers is one half of the Grammy Award-winning folk rock music duo, Indigo Girls, along with Amy Ray. Over the years, they have sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, as well as earned six Grammy nominations. In 1989, they were nominated for Best New Artist and took home the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Indigo Girls’ latest critically acclaimed album Look Long was released in the spring of 2020.

Saliers plays acoustic and electric guitars, as well as banjo, piano, mandolin, and ukulele. Saliers has written many of the Indigo Girls’ fan-favorite songs and concert standouts such as “Closer to Fine,” “Get Out the Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Power of Two,” and “Galileo” to name a few. A documentary about the 40-year journey of the Indigo Girls, “It’s Only Life After All,” intimately covering their lives as artists and activists, debuted to rave reviews at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. 

David Ryan Harris is an American guitarist and singer based in Los Angeles, California. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Harris moved to Atlanta at a young age to launch his career. Harris has had a varied career as a musician. 

He has been performing on stage since the 1980s when he served as the front man for the Atlanta rock group, Follow for Now. The band was given a record deal and released their self-titled in 1991. The band toured with such acts as Fishbone, HR of Bad Brains, Pearl Jam, Faith No More, and 24–7 Spyz. While Harris continues to promote his solo act, he can frequently be seen on stage performing with artists such as John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Santana, Sister Hazel, Better Than Ezra, and Collective Soul.

Tickets for the concert are $200 each and tax-deductible sponsorships begin at $1,000. Every guest receives two drink tickets with admission. Guests should bring a chair or blanket, and food truck selections and beverages will be available for purchase. This year’s concert is being presented by sponsor Bercher Homes. This event raises proceeds to support Habitat’s mission to continue building, refurbishing, and repairing homes for families in need in Cobb, Douglas, and Paulding counties.  

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