East Cobb Arts & Entertainment

Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre presents ‘The Nutcracker’ Thanksgiving weekend

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Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre, The Nutcracker

Thank you to Gina Duncan of the Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre for the information and photos about its presentation of “The Nutcracker” over the Thanksgiving weekend at the Cobb Civic Center.

She says more than 150 young local dancers will be involved in the classic holiday ballet performance, and they range in age from seven to 18. Their training takes place at the Georgia Dance Conservatory on the Marietta Square, with professional dancers D Patton White as Godfather Drosselmeyer and Alex Barros as the Cavalier joining the cast.

Here the dates and times:

  • Friday, Nov. 23  at 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 24 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, Nov. 25th at 2 p.m.

The venue is the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre at the Cobb Civic Center (548 S. Marietta Pkwy) and tickets are $10 to $30. For information visit: www.georgiametrodance.tix.com.

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Play Me Again Pianos to hold East Cobb fundraiser Sunday

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Sunny Piano East Cobb Park, Play Me Again Pianos

We placed this on the calendar but wanted to expand this item more because there’s some news accompanying a fundraiser the East Cobb-based non-profit Play Me Again Pianos is having on Sunday:

The group that refurbishes, repaints and donates used pianos for community use is inviting the public for a fundraiser from 5-7 Sunday at Red Sky Tapas and Bar (1255 Johnson Ferry Road).

The event will be featured around a Dueling Pianos concert (like the Dueling Pianos entertainment programs at the restaurant), and there will be food, drinks, and other musical fun.

Play Me Again Pianos will accept cash donations, and there will be raffle prizes and Red Sky will donate a portion of food and beverage sales on Sunday.

Co-founders Jason and Kelly Brett are aiming to provide 88 pianos to communities around metro Atlanta. Thus far there are two Play Me Again Pianos in East Cobb. “Sunny” at East Cobb Park, pictured above, whose ribbon-cutting we covered last summer, was painted by summer Artscape! painters. Last fall, “Tommy” was unveiled at Egg Harbor Cafe (4917 Lower Roswell Road).

Now for the news part: A third piano will be placed in East Cobb soon, at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center. Kelly told us there’s not an ETA yet on when “Vincent” will arrive. She says he’s still being painted, and “since our artists are volunteers we pretty much just roll with their timeline. We’re hoping that it’s before the end of the year though.”

While the pianos are donated and are free for the public to use, upkeep is not, and that’s what the fundraising efforts are all about. The Bretts estimate that each piano costs $500 a year to tune and make minor repairs.

Right now there 20 pianos in operation or on the way, including Vincent. Here’s more on what he will look like.

And here’s more on how the Bretts began their efforts to create more public music spots for what they say remains a labor of love. Says Jason:

“One of the things we love about these pianos is that they create spaces where friends and strangers alike gather to just enjoy a few minutes of music and happiness together, and that’s exactly the kind of community we want to be a part of.”

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The Art Place winter/spring class registration, holiday events begin this week

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A full slate of winter and spring classes begins soon at The Art Place, and you can sign up starting Wednesday.The Art Place

A complete list of youth and adult classes can be found here, with course details, fees, dates and other relevant information.

The Art Place also has announced its schedule of holiday events, and tickets are available for them, including the St. Nick’s Cafe and the Empty Bowl Brunch, which is a fundraiser for MUST Ministries.

The Art Place also will begin its annual Artist Attic on Thursday, featuring items produced by class participants for sale through the holiday shopping season.

The sneak-a-peak for the Artist Attack also will be on Wednesday from 7-9 p.m.

Also on Saturday, there will be a gift-giver’s workshop from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. You’ll get step by step instruction for three projects for handmade pieces to place under your holiday tree.

The workshop is for those age 16 and older. The class fee is $30 and the supply fee is $10.

The Art Place is located at 3330 Sandy Plains Road, next to the Mountain View Regional Library and the East Cobb Senior Center.

 

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East Cobb Weekend Events: Holiday Décor Market; Eastminster Church Festival; Halloween Hikes and more

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Good Mews 30th birthday, East Cobb weekend events, Good Mews Holiday Decor Market

Today’s the first day of fall, and it’s starting to feel a little bit like it. Many East Cobb organizations have already begun autumn- and holiday-themed events, and they’re continuing this weekend.

The highlights from our calendar listings for Friday-Sunday:

The Good Mews Holiday Decor Market gets under way Friday and continues every weekend through early December, returning to the Sandy Plains Exchange Shopping Center (1860 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 202). They’re open this Friday and the last Friday of the sale, on Dec. 7, from 12-5; otherwise the hours are Saturdays 10-5 and Sundays 12-5. The kitties like the one above who are the beneficiaries of the sale won’t be onsite, but you can get an early start on gently used goods for holiday shopping. Good Mews also is accepting your donations starting Friday and through Nov. 25;

Church fall festivals are starting to gear up too, and coming up is the Eastminster Presbyterian Church Fall Festival from 12-8 Friday and from 10-4 Saturday at the church (3125 Sewell Mill Road). Games, crafts, kids activities and BBQ are on tap, and the proceeds benefit several local charities, including MUST Ministries;

If you want to get out and stretch your legs while soaking up the beautiful weather and tap into the holidays, Halloween Hikes at the Chattahoochee Nature Center (9135 Willeo Road, Roswell) is an ideal event for the whole family. They’re guided half-mile walks along lighted trails and with crafts and other Halloween decorations. The times Friday and Saturday are from 7-9:45 p.m., and the cost is $12 a person;

The high school football season is drawing to a close, with several East Cobb teams still vying for playoff position. Friday’s games kick off at 7:30 p.m, and they include Cass at Kell, Woodstock at Lassiter, Sequoyah at Sprayberry, Roswell at Walton, Campbell at Wheeler and Pope at Cambridge.

By the way, that Walton-Roswell game is going to be shown live from Raider Valley on Georgia Public Television, as the No. 2 Raiders look to stay unbeaten on the season and in region play.

If high school band music is your thing, you’ve got all day Saturday to take in the 35th Southern Invitational Music Festival, which goes from 10-10 at Sprayberry High School (2525 Sandy Plains Road). Admission is $10 for adults; $5 for students with an ID and free for kids 6 and under.

Check our full calendar listings for more things to do in East Cobb this weekend, and beyond.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a calendar item you’d like to share with the community? Send it to us, and we’ll spread the word! E-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com, and you can include a photo or flyer if you like.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, make it a great one! Enjoy!

 

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Last gasp for Summer Stars Concert Series at The Art Place: Peter Karp

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Peter Karp, Summer Stars Concert Series

Saturday is the final installment of the Summer Stars Concert Series at The Art Place, and the entertainment will come from blues-oriented slide guitarist and recording artist Peter Karp.

The free concert begins at 7:30 p.m., and the lawn opens at 7 p.m. A table for eight is $40. No alcoholic beverages are allowed.

Concessions are in exchange for a donation to the Mountain View Arts Alliance, or you can bring food from home.

The Art Place is located at 3330 Sandy Plains Road.

 

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Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre to open 62nd season with ‘Dracula’

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Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre

Thanks to Gina Duncan of the Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre for passing this along about next month’s performance of Dracula. Labor Day means the unofficial end of summer, but before long it will be time for Halloween-themed events. Tickets went on sale Friday:

Dracula is brought to life again as Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre opens its 62nd season of dance with their fall performance of this legendary classic, October 5th through October 7th at The Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre on the historic Marietta Square.

Back by popular demand, with four shows this year. GMDT’s Dracula will be an intriguing display of talent and exciting storytelling. Professional dancers Jonah Hooper, Calvin Gentry, Gray Stoner, and Peter Powlus, will join a cast of 40 local GMDT company dancers ranging in age from thirteen to eighteen. Dracula will proudly feature the original work of two talented choreographers, Raul Peinado and Ashleigh Whitworth, set to the hauntingly beautiful score of Philip Feeney.

Grab your seats early to enjoy a live organist that will play before all shows. Let us transport you to Transylvania where dance and myth mix together in this spellbinding story of Count Dracula and his three brides, the misfortunes of Jonathan Harker and fiancé Mina Murray, and the ultimate struggle between good and evil. Audiences will be mesmerized as they are pulled in to the world of vampires, gypsies, castles, vampire hunters, superstition, and eternal love in this chilling ballet based on the classic novel by Bram Stoker. 

Just in time for Halloween! The 2:00 p.m. shows on October 6th and 7th will include a youth costume contest during intermission. 18 years old and under come dressed in costume and walk the stage for a chance to win a picture with Dracula and his brides after the show! Adult audience members are encouraged to come wearing your favorite vampire attire.

Performance dates and times at the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre:

  • Friday, October 5th at 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 6th at 2:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 6th at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, October 7th at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: Tickets range in price from $15 to $25. To purchase tickets, visit GMDT’s ticket website www.georgiametrodance.tix.com or visit its official Facebook page at GA Metro Dance Theatre, for more information. Tickets go on sale September 1st.

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East Cobb Labor Day weekend events: Noshfest, Holy Smoke Festival return

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Noshfest, East Cobb Labor Day weekend events
It wouldn’t be Noshfest without “Hava Nagila.” The Jewish food and culture festival returns at Temple Kol Emeth Sunday and Monday. (East Cobb News file photos)

Just a few days remain until two signature East Cobb Labor Day weekend events make their festive returns.

Here’s the latest info we have on the Noshfest, which takes place from 11-5 Sunday and 11-4 Monday at at Temple Kol Emeth (1415 Old Canton Road):

Admission is free, but each attendee is asked to bring two canned food items to be donated to MUST Ministries.

Once inside, you’ll purchase food and drink tickets as you please, and either with cash or by credit card. Craft items for sale can be bought with cash, credit card or debit card, depending on vendor availabilty.

Noshfest

The Highlights: Entertainment from the blues-and-folk Alex Guthrie Band (he’s a local musician and recording artist) returns to the Noshfest stage at 3 p.m. Sunday. Before that, starting at noon, is a cooking demonstration from Chef Wilson Gourley of the famed General Muir deli in Dectatur, and the festival’s 3rd annual bagel-eating contest (sponsored by Bagelicious in East Cobb) is at 2 p.m.

The winning contestant will win a cash prize of $500 for eating the most bagels in five-minutes.

On Monday, live music will abound, including the Dixie Saints, who will perform Dixieland and klezmer specialties at 2 p.m.

Temple tours of the synagogue will take place Sunday at 1, 2:30 and 4 and on Monday at 12, 1:30 and 3.

Holy Smoke Festival

Admission is also free on Monday to the Holy Smoke Festival, held from 10-3 at the ball fields and south parking lot at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road).

Food tickets for the Williamson BBQ-catered meals are $6.50 (and if they run out, other food vendors will be on hand), and the events include live music, Christian illusionist Shane Wilbanks (above), kids’s inflatables, a silent auction and a classic car show.

Holy Smoke Festival

The Highlights: Local musician Jay Memory will perform in the Big Tent between 11-2 (that’s where and for how long the food will be served). Wilbanks’ shows are at 11:15, 12:45 and 1:45.

At 12:15, the Fort Benning Silver Wings aerial show takes place.

At 2, the silent auction closes, with the grand prize winner announced, as well as the car show awards.

Holy Smoke proceeds will benefit the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, East Cobb chapter.

 

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‘Harper Lee: From Mockingbird to Watchman’ to be screened Tuesday at Sewell Mill Library

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Calling all “To Kill a Mockingbird” fans, and especially devotees of the woman who wrote the novel and what came after all that: You’re invited to a special film screening Tuesday at the Sewell Mill Library (2051 Lower Roswell Road).Harper Lee From Mockingbird to Watchman

It’s not the actual 1962 movie, starring Gregory Peck and Mary Badham, but rather a more recent movie about the book, movie and the woman who made it all possible, “Harper Lee: From Mockingbird to Watchman.”

To be more precise, it’s a documentary film about the novelist and her work, not only the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, but also her “Go Set a Watchman,” published in 2015, the year before Lee’s death. That novel is regarded as a sequel, portraying Atticus Finch in a very unflattering light, and set off something of a controversy.

The film to be screened Tuesday was made for the Public Broadcasting System‘s “American Masters” series.

Lee’s older sister is among those interviewed, as well as Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brokaw, legal thriller novelist Scott Turow and others who knew the novelist.

The screening, which takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m., is part of Georgia Public Broadcasting‘s “Great American Read” series. The event in the library’s black box theater is free, and will be followed by a book-style discussion, but you’re encouraged to make a reservation here.

 

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As Splendid Pieces exhibit closes at Sewell Mill Library, mosaics classes begin

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Splendid Pieces exhibit, Mazzoni Mosaics

For the last month, the Splendid Pieces exhibit at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road) has shown the work of Georgia mosaics artist Julie Mazzoni (her website here).

There will be a closing reception in the library’s art gallery Thursday, Aug. 30, from 6-8 p.m., the day before the exhibit closes. She’ll be offering a demo and a talk about her work.

A Kennesaw State grad, Julie began doing mosaics in 2009 after working in children’s murals, watercolors and acrylics. She specializes in 3-D bas-relief mixed media concept works and realism in stained glass.

If you’re interested in learning how to do mosaics, you can get a start earlier in the week.

The library is offering two related classes starting next Tuesday.

A Mosaic Rock Garden Class takes place over four sessions, through Sept. 18, as you’ll learn how to personalize your own backyard garden. The cost is $47, and the class meets every Tuesday from 10-11:30 a.m. Here’s how to sign up.

Mazzoni will be teaching Beginner Mosaics, an eight-session class, through Oct. 30. Here’s more on signing up for that course. The fee is $170, and the class meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. every Tuesday, except for Sept. 25.

She’s also teaching the same class, from Aug. 28 to Oct. 2, at The Art Place (3320 Sandy Plains Road), with sessions from 5:30-8 p.m. Here’s signup information for that.

The Art Place is also where she’s teaching an Open Mosaics Studio class from Oct. 9 to Nov. 13 (details and signup here). Julie’s also had her work exhibited there.

 

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Mountain View Arts Alliance to hold Pete Borden memorial event in October

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In October the Mountain View Arts Alliance will be honoring the memory of Pete Borden, a longtime East Cobb resident who was actively involved in community theater.Pete Borden, Mountain View Arts Alliance

The memorial event will take place Oct. 10 from 7-9 p.m. at The Art Place (3330 Sandy Plains Road), and will include the unveiling of a memorial stone hand crafted by local artist Julie Mazzoni.

Borden died in March at the age of 81 from lung cancer.

Born in Texas and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Borden was a brick mason by profession and active in Cobb theater organizations, including The Art Place, as a playwright, director and actor. He also was a member of the Catholic Church of St. Ann in East Cobb.

Borden also wrote a regular column for many years in The Marietta Daily Journal and advocated for local arts and theater organizations in that space.

Shortly after his death, the MDJ reprinted one of Borden’s columns from 2012, as he recalled an early 1990s flap on the Cobb Board of Commissioners over arts funding and an anti-gay resolution that cost Cobb County its official 1996 Olympics participation.

In a message on its Facebook page about the memorial event, the MVAA said:

If you would like to perform a scene or song or skit or even a roast tributing Pete, please advise and we will put together a program.

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EAST COBB WEEKEND EVENTS: East Cobb Rotary Dog Days Run; Lutzie 43 Road Race; Wasted Potential concert; football events; and more

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East Cobb Rotary Dog Days Run, East Cobb Weekend Events

As we’re typing these words, the sun has come out! It’s expected to stay out, at least partially, as this weekend’s sports-heavy lineup leads off Saturday with the 13 annual East Cobb Rotary Dog Days Run.

It gets underway at 7:30 a.m. at the East Cobb-McCleskey Family YMCA (1055 E. Piedmont Road). Race-day registration is $30, and the proceeds benefit a number of East Cobb charities, including School Mates Literacy Project, Canine Assistance, Aids Awareness, The Center for Family Resources, Cobb County Public Safety and Kids2Leaders Inc.

At the same time, the Lutzie 43 Foundation Road Race is taking place at Lutzie Field at Lassiter High School (2601 Shallowford Road), with proceeds going to the non-profit set up in the memory of Phil Lutzenkirchen, the former Trojans football star. It helps teach young people leadership skills and how to make good decisions. There’s a 1-mile fun run for kids in addition to the 5K. Race-day registration is $30 for students and $43 for adults.

Not far away, another school community is celebrating its upcoming football season. The Pope Football Pancake Breakfast goes from 9-11 in the cafeteria at the school (3001 Hembree Road), and is a Pope Touchdown Club fundraiser. For $11 a person or $26 a family (players eat free!), you’ll get pancakes, sausage, bagels, fruit and juices; stick around for the team picture day to follow.

Wasted Potential Brass Band
The Wasted Potential Brass Band returns to The Art Place Saturday.

Saturday also is Sandy Plains Softball Fun Day from 11-1 at Field 1 at Sandy Plains Park (2977 Gordy Parkway), and it includes walk-up registration for the fall season.

On Saturday evening, bring your blankets and lawn chairs to The Art Place (3320 Sandy Plains Road) and enjoy the sounds of the Wasted Potential Brass Band. The popular Atlanta group is appearing as part of the Mountain View Arts Alliance’s Summer Stars Concert Series. Concessions are in exchange for a donation to MVAA, or you can bring your own food (but no alcohol is allowed).

More prep football on Sunday takes place 2-4. It’s Walton Raider Day at the Raider Valley stadium (1590 Bill Murdock Road). Admission is free, and the jamboree-style event includes kids games, a coaches dunk tank, face-painting, trampoline-jumping and a meet-and-greet with all the Raiders teams. Wear your Walton Spirit gear, since there will be drone group photo taken during the day.

Also on Sunday, the Good Mews Cat Shelter (3805 Robinson Road) is having another microchip and vaccination clinic from 10-3. Additional services include nail clippings, and appointments are encouraged but not required. Dogs are welcome too, and all pets must be in a carrier or on a leash when they arrive.

Check our full calendar listings for more things to do in East Cobb this weekend, and beyond.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a calendar item you’d like to share with the community? Send it to us, and we’ll spread the word! E-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com, and you can include a photo or flyer if you like.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, make it a great one! Enjoy!

 

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Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

PHOTOS: Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center Mini Con debuts

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Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center Mini Con
(East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)

Geeks of all ages showed up Saturday for the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center Mini Con, which included a broad range of activities in the comic and digital arts.

The event included workshops and demonstrations, live music, food and vendors using most of the new facility’s creative arts space.

Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center Mini Con

The highlight of the afternoon was a costume contest, with winners and runners-up in children and adult divisions. While Star Wars characters were popular, so were the likes of Elvis Presley and Monty Python characters.

Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center Mini Con

Among the many activities for children were demonstrations from members of the Giga-Bites Cafe tabletop gaming store in East Cobb.

Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center Mini Con

Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center Mini Con

James Mitchell of the Sewell Mill Library organized the event and said around 1,000 attended in all, including many who had not been to the library before.

Like other events at the library since it opened last December, Mini Con was designed to attract not only new faces, but to demonstrate the unifying forces of the creative arts, across many platforms and genres.

Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center Mini Con

Related posts

 

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Sewell Mill Library Summer Concert Series begins Friday

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Sewell Mill Library Summer Concert Series

The Sewell Mill Summer Concert series begins Friday with a pop performance by Kienan Dietrich from Sarah & the Safe Word, the Wildfire Orchestra, Chasing Lovely, and The Good Graces

It’s the first of three free monthly concerts presented by the Cobb Library Foundation in the outdoor amphitheater of the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road). You can bring a picnic, blankets or set up lawn chairs. Doors open at 6 p.m, and the music starts at 7.

Here’s more about what you’ll be hearing, and at the bottom of the post there’s more about future concerts:

Kienan Dietrich (from Sarah & the Safe Word) featuring the Wildfire Orchestra “Baby, I’m the best kind of wrong,” croons vocalist Sarah Rose on Sarah and the Safe Word’s latest album, Strange Doings in the Night. Exploring sounds reminiscent of cabaret, vaudeville, southern gothicism, swing, and – of course – rock and roll, the band urges enthusiastic victi- er, listeners – to step inside, get strapped in, and prepare for one very, very, peculiar evening.

Chasing Lovely: Folk-pop duo Chasing Lovely combine haunting harmonies, powerful melodies, and insightful lyrics to create a truly captivating acoustic performance. Chasing Lovely’s mission is to provoke thought, promote understanding, and capture both glimmers of light and darkness as they share the deeply moving human experience through song.

The Good Graces: the Good Graces is an indie-folk/Americana collective fronted by singer-songwriter Kim Ware and based in Atlanta, GA. In 2015, Kim’s song “Cold in California” caught the attention of the Indigo Girls, and the band was invited by the renowned duo to support some midwest and southeast shows during their summer tour.

The concert series continues on Aug. 17 with the jazz sounds of Will Scruggs and Masterpeace, and concludes on Sept. 21 with a classical show featuring the Wheeler Quartet and a quartet from the Georgia Symphony Orchestra.

 

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East Cobb in Photos: On display at the Sewell Mill Library art gallery

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Sewell Mill Library art gallery

A sampling of what’s on display currently at the Sewell Mill Library art gallery, which is named after longtime Cobb library supporters Carol and Jim Ney.

Sewell Mill Library art gallery

Sewell Mill Library art gallery

Sewell Mill Library art gallery

Sewell Mill Library art gallery

The gallery is open during regular library hours: M-W 10-8; Th-F 11-6; Sat 1-6, and you literally cannot miss if it you’re headed into the main library area.

The rotation of artwork is curated by Roxane Thompson, who is the library’s cultural affairs art specialist.

A couple of formal exhibits already have taken place in the art gallery space this spring, and last week there was a gallery reception for Jon McNaughton, the owner of a “patriotic” art company.

There are ongoing art classes, and right now in the summer they’re aimed at kids 10 and older.

The Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center is located at 2051 Lower Roswell Road. Phone: 770-509-2711.

Sewell Mill Library art gallery

 

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EAST COBB WEEKEND EVENTS: Marietta Greek Festival; Cobb Wind Symphony Young Person’s Concert; more

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Marietta Greek Festival

We may be dancing around some raindrops all weekend, but the dancing—as well as eating and shopping and so much more—will go on rain or shine at the Marietta Greek Festival. It leads off a festive slate of East Cobb Weekend Events, as another school year comes to a close and summer activities will be coming soon.

The 28th annual Marietta Greek Festival is a three-day extravaganza of food, shopping, fun and a celebration of Greek culture, kicking off at 3 on Friday and lasting until sundown on Sunday at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Catholic Church (3431 Trickum Road).

A $5 admission ticket is charged for adults, while kids 12 and under get in for free. If you can’t park onsite, a free shuttle will be provided at the following locations, and parking is also free:

  • Simpson Middle School – 3340 Trickum Road;
  • Church of Latter-Day Saints – 3195 Trickum Road;
  • Lassiter High School – 2601 Shallowford Road.

The hours are from 3-11 Friday, 10-11 on Saturday and 11-6 on Sunday.

There’s a main food tent, a selection of street food options, desserts and beverages, all representing the rich culinary range of Greece.

The entertainment schedule covers the span of the festival, and there are vendors, cooking demonstrations, children’s activities and church tours.

Proceeds from the festival benefit Northwest Atlanta Metro Habitat, The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc., a Greek Orthodox women’s ministry that works with other Christian philanthrophies.

Friday and Saturday are the last curtain calls for “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” a comedy musical revue that starts at 8 both nights at The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road). It’s the last presentation for CenterStage North until August, when “On Golden Pond” will be featured;

If cooking at home, and making throw-back dishes is more to your taste, a new spring-and-summer series gets underway Saturday at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road).

It’s called Retro Recipes, and from 12-1 Saturday, you’re invited to bring an old family appetizer recipe as participants make and share dishes. The series runs through August;

Stick around at Sewell Mill for its monthly Local Lens feature from 4-5. This month’s film professional is Ashley Nichole Smith Carlson, an Atlanta filmmaker who will share her thoughts about her favorite films, and cinematic storytelling.

As the weekend winds down, and the last couple days of school approach, local musicians will be taking the stage Sunday at the Lassiter Concert Hall (2601 Shallowford Road). It’s the Cobb Wind Symphony Young Person’s Concert, and pre-concert kids’ activities start at 2, with face-painting, an instrument petting zoo and other activities. The music starts at 3. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a calendar listing to share with the community? Send is to us, and we’ll post it! E-mail your information to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com. Check out our full Events Calendar, for the weekend and beyond, for more things to do.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, enjoy!

 

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CenterStage North production of ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!’ starts Friday

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I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, CenterStage North, The Art Place-Mountain View

The last CenterStage North production of the spring and summer starts a week-long run on Friday The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road). It’s Joe DiPietro’s “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!” and six performances will take place through next Friday, May 19.

It’s billed as “a witty musical revue that tackles modern love in all its forms: from the perils and pitfalls of the first date to marriage, children, and the twilight years of life.”

The story is told in a series of vignettes and songs, and “traces the overall arc of relationships throughout the course of a life.”

The shows this weekend are at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee, as well as 8 p.m. next Thursday-Saturday, May 17-19.

Tickets are $20 each and can be ordered online.

Check out our calendar listings for more things to do in East this weekend and beyond.

Auditions for CenterStage North’s August production of “On Golden Pond” will take place next week, May 15-16 at The Art Place, and include cold readings from the script (here are some of the available “sides” that will be read.).

Those auditions also will be at The Art Place from 7-9 each night. Here’s more about what they will include, as well as what roles will be filled, what the rehearsals will be like over the summer, and how to get in touch if you’re interested:

Production runs from August 10-18 for two weekends. Rehearsals will be in Marietta and will start the first week of June and most likely will be on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. No rehearsals the week of July 4th. For more information please contact the director, Karen Worrall at karen@worrall.org

Roles available:
Norman, 79, tart-tongued and observant and very direct
Ethel, 69, energetic, sweet and upbeat
Chelsea, late 30’s -early 40’s, pretty, smart and confident, except around Norman
Bill, a dentist and Chelsea’s fiancé, 45, attempts to charm Norman
Billy, a typical 13-year-old with a bit of an attitude who winds up bonding with Norman and Ethel.
Charlie, the postman, 40ish, affable and simple

 

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May book group discussions scheduled at libraries in East Cobb

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All four public library branches in East Cobb have ongoing book group discussions, and here’s a sampling of what’s on tap in May, with information courtesy the Cobb County Public Library System:

Gritters Tuesday Afternoon Book Club at Gritters Library on Tuesday, May 8 from 2 pm – 3 pm. We will be discussing Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. 770-528-2524;

Men’s Book Club at East Cobb Library on Saturday, May 12 from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink. Women interested in military, horror, and sci-fi are welcome to join. 770-509-2730;

Mountain View Evening Book Discussion at Mountain View Regional Library on Tuesday, May 15 from 7 pm – 8:30 pm. Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. 770-509-2725;

Read, Think, Talk at Sewell Mill Library & Cultural Center on Wednesday, May 16 from 10:30 am – noon. Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue. 770-509-4988;

Book to Movie Club at Sewell Mill Library & Cultural Center on Wednesday, May 16 from 6 pm – 8:30 pm. Share your thoughts about Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella and then watch the book’s film counterpart. 770-509-4988;

On Thursday May 17, East Cobb Morning Book Discussion meets 11 am – 12:30 and the East Cobb Afternoon Book Discussion is at 2 pm at East Cobb Library. The May selection is The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See. 770-509-2730.

 

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No East Cobb screenings at Atlanta Jewish Film Festival in 2018

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Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival begins this week and continues into mid-February, but a familiar venue will not having any showings.

That’s the GTE Merchants Walk Cinema on Johnson Ferry Road in East Cobb. We’re seeking further information, but festival organizers have said previously that renovations and reduced theater size prompted the venue change.

On a recent post on its Facebook page, the festival responded that “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Georgia Theatre Company, and returning to this theater for future AJFF programs.”

East Cobb is the home of three synagogues and festival screenings at Merchants Walk typically have sold out and been in high demand. Wednesday’s opening and the Feb. 15 closing for the festival, now in its 18th year, will be at the Cobb Energy Centre.

The opening festivities include a tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr. and a screening of “I’ve Gotta Be Me” and a Q & A with Emmy and Peabody award-winning director Sam Pollard.

The other venues for the festival this year will be the Regal Perimeter Pointe in Sandy Springs; Regal Atlantic Station; Regal Hollywood 24 in Chamblee; The Springs Cinema & Taphouse in Buckhead; Tara Cinemas in Midtown Atlanta; and the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta.

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is the largest Jewish film festival in the country, and this year will screen 75 films. Last year the festival had an attendance of more than 38,000.

More information and ticket purchases are available at the AJFF website. Tickets also can be purchased by calling the festival box office at 678-228-8872.

 

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The Art Place issues call for auditions for ‘Murder at Cafe Noir’

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The Art Place, Murder at Cafe Noir

If you’re feeling the itch to reprise some of the best lines, scenes and style of Humphrey Bogart films, The Art Place is seeking a few good local actors for its forthcoming presentation of the play “Murder at Cafe Noir,” inspired by the David Landau book.

The auditions are this coming Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at The Art Place (3330 Sandy Plains Road), with callbacks on Wednesday.

Landau’s work is a comic tribute to Bogart’s 1940s detectives roles. After the owner of the Cafe Noir is murdered, a private investigator is called in, and you probably have a good idea about the rest of the story.

There’s more on The Art Place Facebook page about the characters, but there’s a good variety of roles to audition for, including the protagonist PI Rick Archer.

They include Madam Tourreau, the cafe manager, a black market dealer-turned-bouncer, a fortune teller, a gun runner and a disgraced lawyer.

If you’re chosen for the callbacks, they’ll also be at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, with the cast read-through on Feb. 11 and rehearsals starting Feb. 14.

Performances are March 23-24.

For more information, please email: meryl.manfre@cobbcounty.org.

 

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The Art Place-Mountain View art classes for winter open for registration

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The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road) has reopened after the Christmas and New Year’s holiday break, and today opened registration for winter art classes that begin later this month. The Art Place

Classes are divided in to youth (ages 5-18) and adult divisions, with classes beginning as early as Jan. 16.

Classes include pottery, sculpture, raku, drawing, illustration, digital photography, metals and jewelry, mosaics, knitting, painting, felting, drama and more.

There’s a new registration system that’s also kicked into effect starting today, called CivicRec (more info about that here). Participants who’ve been in the previous system for the last two years have had their accounts automatically transferred.

The Cobb PARKS site has general information about programs, but for more information about The Art Place registration, and to sign up online, click here.

 

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