Shots fired at the Alhambra by Annie and her gun

A couple days of the power being out during Hurricane Mathew did not hinder the rehearsals of the show playing at the Alhambra – “Annie Get Your Gun”.  The cast sang very well and the show has music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.  You will be reminder by familiar tunes such as: “No Business Like Show business,” “They Say It’s Wonderful,” “I Got the Sun in the Morning,” and “Anything You Can Do”.

Some familiar faces include: Krista Severeid* (Annie Oakley), Tony Lawson* (Buffalo Bill Cody), Katherine Paladino* (Dolly Tate), Molly Anne Ross (Winnie Tate), Drew Taylor* (Charlie Davenport), Timothy Ellis* (Sitting Bull); Linzy Lauren, Olivia Chernyshev, Jessica Hayden (Female Ensemble); Chris Warren Murry*, Joshian Morales* (Male Ensemble).

Newcomers to the Alhambra are: Christopher Sanders* (Frank Butler), Markus Mann* (Tommy Keeler), and Matthew Ruff* (Male Ensemble).  As always, the show could not go on without the expertise of the behind-the-scenes talents of: Stage Manager, Shain Stroff*; Choreographer, James Kinney*; Musical Director, Cathy Murphy Giddens and Producer/Director, Tod Booth*.
*denotes members of Actors’ Equity Association

Chef DeJuan Roy has outdone himself once again.  This writer sampled the Texas Chili, Crunchy Cowboy Salad, Hanger Steak and Double Chocolate Cake.  Everything was tantalizing.  All inspired by the show, the meal is scrumptious.

There are tickets available for any day and time from now until the 20th. of November.  Call the Alhambra to get yours today.

“Annie Get Your Gun”
DATES: October 19 – November 20, 2016

SHOW TIMES: Evening shows Tuesday through Sunday start at 8 p.m.  Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served until 7:30 p.m.  Saturday Matinees begin at 1:15 p.m.  Doors open at 11 a.m. and the brunch starts at 11:15 a.m.  Sunday Matinees are at 2 p.m.  Doors open at noon and the meal service starts at 12:15 p.m.

DRESS: could be “Business Casual” or “Sunday Best”.

TICKETS: Regular tickets priced from $35 – $57.  Ticket prices include: a plated dinner served to your table, an incredible show and prime parking.  Group sales of 20 + are available upon request.  Price does not include gratuity or orders from the bar.

LOCATION: Alhambra Theater & Dining
       12000 Beach Blvd.
       Jacksonville, Florida 32246
       (904) 641-1212

Stage Aurora receives PNC financial Arts Alive Grant

Access to dance performances, the musical power of hip hop, Shakespeare theater, a traveling art mural project, and art labs are among the highlights of five Jacksonville arts organizations which will receive funds this year from the PNC Foundation’s Arts Alive program.  The grants are part of a three-year program to bring PNC Arts Alive to the Jacksonville, Florida community and Stage Aurora Theatrical Company is proud to be part of the mix.  The non-profit winners represent a wide range of disciplines, audiences and participatory experiences from arts groups’ large and small, city and suburban.  Throughout 2016, PNC has diligently worked with the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville to develop the Arts Alive opportunity locally and bring the initiative to its thriving community.

“The PNC Foundation has been a wonderful partner and we are thrilled they decided to bring PNC Arts Alive to our region’s arts and culture community,” said Antonio Allegretti, executive director, Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. “I’m confident these grant recipients will inject Jacksonville with innovative and exciting new programs for the entire family. Most importantly, these new resources will have profound effects on our sector and will improve the quality of life through access to art.”  The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville reports that its creative economy has a $2.4 billion impact on the region.

Through the PNC Arts Alive program, Jacksonville Dance Theatre’s Bridge Project, will commission a newly choreographed work by dancer and choreographer James Boyd, an African American dance artist with a national and renowned reputation in the field of professional dance.  The work will be presented to underserved audiences throughout Jacksonville documented by filmmaker Alexa Velez.  To learn more about James Boyd, visit his website.

Stage Aurora – Ritz Theatre is an innovative program designed to introduce professional African-American theatre to underserved audiences in Jacksonville, Florida.  For the 2016-17, the centerpiece of the project is four to five fully subsidized performances for families, seniors, middle and high school students of low-income status for a total of 2,000 tickets to attend The Ritz Theatre and Museum.  The proposed main stage season includes: Dreamgirls, Porgy and Bess, Lion King, Jr., Ain’t Misbehavin’, Drawn From The Water and/or To Kill a Mockingbird.  One performance of each production is subsidized at 400 seats for low-income patrons.

Congratulations to Darryl Reuben Hall and the Stage Aurora Theatrical Company, on their conquest to bring more culture to the city of Jacksonville and the surrounding area.

Get thankful and check out the Cummer Museum this November

This is the month that family and friends will be gathering at your home during the holidays.  Why not take them to the beautiful gardens and the colorful artwork of the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens?

Garden Concert: Canary in The Coalmine – Fri., Nov. 4 from 7 p.m. | Members $20, Non-Members $25.  Join them in the Gardens to hear folk musicians under the stars*. Guests are invited to bring chairs, picnics, and beverages of choice to enjoy that evening or let the Cummer Café handle your food and beverages by ordering ahead. Beer, wine, sodas, and light snacks will also be available for purchase.  *Concert will be moved indoors in the case of inclement weather.

Weaver First Saturday Free for All – Sat., Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Free!  No registration required.  The first Saturday of each month at the Cummer Museum is FREE FOR ALL, thanks to the generous support of Delores Barr Weaver and J. Wayne Weaver. Guests can enjoy free admission, as well as art-making activities for all ages in the Cummer Gardens, live music, and a Docent-led tour at 2 p.m.

Bank Of America And Merrill Lynch Museums On Us – Sun., Nov. 6 from 12 to 4 p.m. | Free to cardholders.  No registration required.  The Cummer Museum offers free admission on the first Sunday of the first full weekend of the month to all Bank of America or Merrill Lynch cardholders through the Museums on Us program. Each cardholder receives one free general admission to the Museum.

Women Artists: From The Renaissance to Abstract Expressionism – Tues., Nov. 8 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. | Members Free, Non-Members $10 (includes admission).  In the third talk in this series, Rosa Bonheur, Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, and Cecilia Beaux were at the vanguard of a large contingent of women artists in the 19th century who concentrated on scenes of everyday life. Their place in history is still separate and not equal.

Cummer Beaches: Lunch, Lecture, and Tour – Thurs., Nov. 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Members $30, Non-Members $45.  Cummer Beaches and Cummer Amelia partner for a Lunch, Lecture, and Tour at the Cummer Museum. Fabio Costa from “Project Runway” will make a presentation relating to Folk Couture: Fashion and Folk Art.

Distinguished Lecture: Fabio Costa – Thurs., Nov. 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Members $30, Non-Members, $40.  Do not miss this special lecture with Fabio Costa, a featured designer from Folk Couture: Fashion and Folk Art.  The second-place winner of “Project Runway: Season 10,” Costa will talk about the opportunity to participate in Folk Couture and how he explores creative innovation through fashion and art for his clothing line, Not Equal.

Cummer Amelia: Cocktails & Canvases with The Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort – Fri., Nov. 11 through Sun., Nov. 13.  VIP Two-Night Experience | $1,599 plus tax for two people.  One-Night Getaway | $659 plus tax for two people.  Sat. Main Event (Dinner) | $150 plus tax per person.  Cummer Amelia and the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort & Spa are pleased to host the inaugural Cocktails and Canvases event, November 11 through 13, 2016.  Guests will enjoy an unrivaled opportunity to engage with the region’s best mixologists, chefs, and artists in a luxurious coastal setting. This vibrant experience is a can’t-miss event for artists, collectors, and foodies alike. Festivities will include creative art shows, interactive cocktail tastings, a four-course progressive dinner, Champagne brunch, and a one-of-a-kind interactive experience with our five guest artists. Join the museum for an unforgettable weekend in a unique setting.  For further information, email, or call (904) 899-6007.

Art for Two: Paper Weaving! – Sat., Nov. 12 from 10:30 a.m. to Noon | Members $15 per pair, Non-Members $20 per pair.  Ages 3 through 5 with an adult.  Students will explore pattern, line, and color in Folk Couture, then return to the studio to create their own patterned fabric by weaving colored paper.

History of Western Art: Baroque Art – Tues., Nov. 15 from 10:30 a.m. to Noon | Members Free, Non-Members $10 (includes admission).  Explore art history through this monthly series of lectures that includes time in the Galleries. If you just want to brush up on your art history for personal enjoyment, then join Director of Education Lynn Norris as she leads you through the history of Western Art. Space is limited, and reservations are encouraged.

Talks & Tea: Folk Couture – Wed., Nov. 16 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. | Members and Non-Members $6.  You are invited to the Museum to enjoy an insightful talk over a cup of tea and a sweet treat.

Art Fundamentals: Acrylic Painting – Wed., November 16 through December 21 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. | Members $170, Non-Members $190.  Instructor Allison Watson introduces painting to beginning students and strengthens the skills of intermediate painters. Learn composition for landscape and still life, color theory, and techniques in acrylic. Participants may sign up for multiple sessions. Supplies are not included. Ages 16 and up.

Art Adventures: Folk Couture! – Sat., Nov. 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Members $10, Non-Members $15.  Ages 6 through 12.  In this class students will visit Folk Couture: Fashion and Folk Art to view the work of fashion designers inspired by folk art, then create an original, textile-based collage in the studio.

Sunday Classical Concert: Folk Couture! – Sun., Nov. 20 from 1:30 p.m. | Free with Paid Admission.  Enjoy a selection of music led by Philip Pan and Rhonda Cassano of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, based on Folk Couture: Fashion and Folk Art.

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
  829 Riverside Avenue
  Jacksonville, Florida 32204
  (904) 356-6857
  Hours of Operation & Admission