Autumn has come to the Cummer this Oct 2021

Yes, it has gotten a little cooler and the Cummer Museum of Arts & Gardens is the perfect place to spend the day with family, out of town guests, friends and anyone you’d like to spend some time with. Call today and make your appointment to relax in a socially distant, masked, sanitized, friendly and educational atmosphere. Come to the Cummer!

Events & Programs:
A More Sustainable Life – A virtual panel discussion on ways to live sustainably. October 19 from 7 to 8 p.m. Free | Registration required.

Creepin’ it Real Halloween Art Tour – Tuesday, October 26 | Time: drop in 6 - 8pm | Cost: FREE! — This Halloween, experience the Museum as you never have before! Your spooky art experience begins when you pick up your Halloween scavenger hunt clues from the ghost of Ninah Cummer herself! As you put your sleuthing skills to work, you’ll discover Visitor Experience staff throughout the museum dressed as pieces from our collection and ready to deliver all its spine-chilling secrets, along with free trunk-or-treat style prizes! You’d have to be undead to miss it!

The Shop's Autumn Artisan Market in the Cummer Gardens Features exceptional products by women makers and designers. October 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Gallery Walk: with the Chief Curator — An inside look at The Journey October 28 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Members $50, Non-Members $60. Registration required.

Friday Night Picnics — October through December from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Prices and menu items vary.

Education:
Artful Explorations — Drop-in activities for all ages October 10 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Free.

Look at That! — Discover the joys of close looking. October 13 Proper Proportion; October 27, Perceiving Perspective from Noon to 1 p.m. Free | Registration required.

Exploring Color, Acrylic Painting: with Allison Watson — Oct. 13, 20, 27; Nov. 3, 10, 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. Members $270, Non-Members $360. Registration required.

Basic Drawing: with William McMahan — Oct. 14, 28; Nov. 4, 11, 18; Dec. 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. Members $270, Non-Members $360. Registration required.

Teachers' Lounge — October 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. Free | Registration required.

Pressed Flower Virtual Workshop: with Cassidy Ramos — October 24. 12:30 to 2 p.m. Members $45, Non-Members $60. Registration required.

The Art of Nature” Glamping Dinner Party – Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021 from 6 to 9 p.m.: Where nature meets luxury, and the perfect spot to glamp is the Cummer Gardens! Connect with the outdoors in style during this fancy, bohemian fête amidst the Cummer Oak and historic gardens. Wander and experience a unique culinary feature at every turn, whether in one of our garden tents or charming outdoor lounges. This will be a garden party like no other – a true celebration of glamour entwined with nature! Pricing varies.

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

'Players by the Sea' hosts a pre-Halloween Party with a Toxic musical

(Update: Oct. 17, 2019)

Players by the Sea is throwing a weekend Halloween Kick-off Party on Friday, October 25 & Saturday, October 26 for $22 per ticket that includes: a champagne toast and appetizers, “The Toxic Avenger” live musical presentation and an after-show dessert glow with music in the Gallery!

On Sat., Oct. 26th, patrons will be able to enjoy FREE BEER & heavy appetizers, a festive costume party beginning at 6:30 p.m., with judging for: Best Individual Costume, Best Couples Costume and Best Group Costume. The hot, rock musical “The Toxic Avenger” begins at 8 p.m. and will be followed by dessert and music in the gallery until 11 p.m.  The show will fill the night with energy and laughs you can’t get at any other Halloween Party in town.

The party is a unique way of fundraising for the theatre and is a great value for an evening out that includes food, the brew and live theatre.  “This is our way of combining the fun of a live, outrageous performance that is perfect for the Halloween season, with a cool experience for the patrons,” said Suzanne Hudson-Smith, Executive Director of Players.  *Please Note: reserved seats are no longer available for Oct. 26th*

About the show: The Toxic Avenger, based off the film and comic, follows Melvin Ferd, the Third, who wants to clean up Tromaville, the most polluted town in New Jersey.  Foiled by the mayor's bullies, Melvin is dumped into a vat of radioactive toxic waste, only to reemerge as The Toxic Avenger, New Jersey's first superhero... a seven-foot mutant freak with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark.  He's out to save New Jersey, end global warming, and woo the blind librarian in town.

Why should the community come out to celebrate Halloween with Players?  Director, Daniel Dungan answered best: “Because The Toxic Avenger is a rock musical comedy about an environmentally conscious mutant full of jokes making fun of New Jersey, what more could you ask for?  An awesome cast?  Well, we have that, too.”

Not only is it a hot-rock musical filled with hysterical one-liners and interesting character choices, but it also points to the effects of pollution on the environment and those living with it.  St. Johns Riverkeeper Outreach Director, Kelly Thompson noted how important it is to work with local theaters and artist groups to promote environmental causes.  “It’s critical to talk about environmental issues through different community platforms and lenses.  The environmental movement and art are inextricably linked.  Now more than ever, we must be reaching different audiences to engage and help share their own stories of environmental justice, pollution, and ultimately, take action. St. Johns Riverkeeper is proud to participate in the showing of The Toxic Avenger as it sheds light on environmental concerns that are relevant to our St. Johns River and each one of us,” Thomspon said.

Representatives of PBTS’s Brand Partners will be present at this event: St. Johns Riverkeeper, Folio Weekly, Cosmic Comics, and Collective Con 2020.

*Please note: ‟The Toxic Avenger” is appropriate for mature audiences only and contains adult language, loud noises and flashing lights that may make some audiences uncomfortable*

 “The Toxic Avenger”

DATES:     TIMES
Fri. Oct. 25, 2019  8 p.m. (Halloween Kickoff)
Sat., Oct. 26    8 p.m. (Halloween Costume Party)
Thurs., Oct. 31   8 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 1     8 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 2     8 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 3    2 p.m.
Thurs., Nov. 7    8 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 8     8 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 9     8 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 10    2 p.m.

TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $28.  Seniors and military can get theirs for $25.  Students get a half-price ticket for $14 at the door, when they present their valid student I.D.  ($22 for Oct. 25, 26 and Oct. 31 shows when you purchase online with the code "JERSEY"). Kindly contact the theatre for further updates and/or questions.

LOCATION: Players By The Sea Theatre                               106 6th Street North
      Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
      (904) 249-0289

ABOUT PLAYERS BY THE SEA— For over fifty-three years, Players by the Sea has brought quality creative and classic theatre to the Jacksonville community.  Players mission is to enrich the community through excellence in theatre.  The nonprofit community theatre welcomes all creative artists to participate in making the magic of theatre come to life, whether on stage, through advocacy or assisting backstage.
 

Horror Stories

Have you noticed how cartoons have become more violent over the years? What happened to the sweet innocence of “Mickey Mouse,” the cuteness of “Baby Huey,” and the heroism of “Mighty Mouse”?

My stepmother once brought to my attention that all fairy tales have an antagonist, (the evil character) and a protagonist (the good character). These tales could be viewed as horror stories by a young child.

For example, look at “Hansel and Gretel.” Here were two innocent little children taken advantage of and almost eaten by a wicked old witch. It’s the same thing with “The Three Little Pigs” and the big bad wolf, and “Little Red Riding Hood” and the wolf that ate Grandma. Such scary stories to share with a young child, yet most of us have been exposed to all of these stories. Are we exposing our young children to the same kinds of things? They may be classic tales, but don’t be surprised if one day there will be a college class on the horror in children’s classics.

“Rock-a-Bye-Baby;” what a song we may have sung to our children. “Down will come baby, cradle, and all.” Are we wishing harm upon our children? No, I am not taking things to an extreme, but we must watch what goes into the child because it is the by-product of what will come out of them. We’ve been programmed to pass on traditional rituals of reciting literature without really thinking about what we’re truly saying.

Before introducing them to this particular form of literature or song, we should wait until our children are old enough to understand and reason for themselves. It’s helpful learning these handed down customs especially if you want to play “Trivial Pursuit,” “Jeopardy,” or “Name That Tune.” To read more - get the book: "Where Did That Come From?" by Ms. "V" (Victoria Thomas Poller)

The Top 5 Viewer Areas to Ms. "V"s Website for Oct. 25 - 31, 2011 are:

• Beijing, China
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  
• Antwerp, Belgium
• Redmond, Washington
  
• Mountain View, California