Ashtabula Arts Center News

The "Show-Offs," previously known as the "5 Friends," are a group of talented teens from Ashtabula and Lake Counties who sing Broadway tunes, Show Choir classics, Holiday and Wedding music. These music-loving performers include students from the Ashtabula Arts Center's Theater Department, along with Edgewood, Lakeside, Jefferson, St. Johns and Paul, and Perry High Schools. The group is always evolving. Under the direction of Kimberly Godfrey and accompanied by Debra Fleming, the group hopes to begin performing for weddings and other events.Past performances include Brown Bag concerts, nursing homes, churches, benefits, and fundraisers and weddings. To book them for your event call Kim Godfrey at 964-3396.

It's a merry time on this cozy Christmas Eve at the home of the Stahlbaum family. Wreaths and mistletoe and pine garlands tied with fancy red ribbons decorate the house.

As snow falls gently outside the frosty paned windows, cookies, pies and sweet breads fill the air with the delicious sweet scents of sugary apples, pumpkin and cinnamon. Like children all around the world on this very special evening, Fritz’ and Clara’s heads are swimming with visions of sugarplums and Christmas surprises!

As guests arrive for the family's annual Christmas party, music plays, dancing begins and the children happily scurry around the tall tree sparkling with shiny glass balls and tinsel. Oh! It’s a Christmas Eve they’ll long remember! Before long, a knock is heard at the door. The fantastic Herr Drosselmeyer sweeps into the room, to the delight of all the children who know his pockets will be filled with magic!

Herr Drosselmeyer entertains the crowd with his tricks and tales and presents the children with treats and toys. To Clara he gives the most special gift of all--a charming Nutcracker doll. But as little boys sometimes do, Fritz becomes jealous and in a pouting tantrum, he breaks the doll and brings Clara to tears. Herr Drosselmeyer, however, is a magic man. With a wave of his magic handkerchief he fixes the broken toy and brings a smile back to little Clara's face. At the end of the evening, party guests bundle in wool coats and knit caps and make their way home through the chilly night air. With cakes and cookies packed away in the cupboard and nothing but bits of paper and holiday ribbon left strewn across the floor, the family snores softly in their beds.

All the family, that is, except Clara. Unable to stop thinking of her favorite new toy, the little girl slips quietly back to the living room where, with drooping eyelids, Clara lies down under the beautiful tree and clasps her Nutcracker doll tightly in her arms.

As the tall clock strikes midnight, Clara is startled awake and discovers that the family's beautiful tree is growing! And growing! And growing! The tree grows to a gigantic size! Up, up, up! And then, right before her eyes, the Nutcracker doll and Fritz's toy soldiers come to life and they begin to grow too! Out of nowhere, an army of furry, larger-than-life mice, led by an evil Mouse Queen, scurry into the room! In an effort to protect Clara, the Nutcracker and his soldiers engage the mice in a fierce battle! Swords clang and cannons fire! Kaboom!

Everything happens so quickly! Clara is afraid that the Nutcracker might be hurt! In a desperate attempt to save him from defeat, she reaches for the first thing she can find and throws her slipper at the evil Mouse Queen, giving the Nutcracker the chance to recover and defeat the evil rodent once and for all!But then, more magic happens! As the furry mice flee with their leader's lifeless body, Clara's Nutcracker transforms into a handsome prince! Taking her by the hand, he leads her to a beautiful sleigh and the two of them embark on a midnight journey beneath the starry, moonlit sky. Into the Enchanted Kingdom they go, where snowflakes come to life and dance in the gentle breezes of the Snowy Pine Forest. Their next stop is the Land of Sweets where candy striped flowers grow atop whipped cream mountains whiter than snow! Clara and her prince are greeted by the Sugarplum Fairy who rules over this magical land. As they tell their adventurous story, the Sugarplum Fairy is so impressed with their bravery and heroism that she throws a lavish festival in their honor.

Clara and the Prince are treated like royalty and showered with gifts of sweets. Delightful dances begin to the lively music of the Spanish fandango. Dancers move their bodies like rising steam to an Arabian song and Matroishkas dance to an invigorating Russian Trepak. When the amazing Mother Ginger whirls onto the floor, little bon bons dance out from beneath her skirt! These are the most beautiful dances Clara has ever seen. She and the Nutcracker Prince watch with amazement as a handsome Cavalier enters the scene and escorts the Sugarplum Fairy to the center of the room. There, the captivating pair dance the most beautiful dance of all.

And then, Clara's most perfect evening must come to an end...

The Sugar Plum Luncheon is SOLD OUT! Thank You!

Students expand their skills during summer programs at Interlochen Center for the Arts

Interlochen Center for the Arts is located in scenic northern Michigan. It is a place where young artists from around the world gather to learn, create and perform alongside leading artists and instructors.

Thanks to the generousity of local resident Bruce Loomis of Jefferson, four talented Arts Center students had an opportunity this summer to study at Interlochen. Julia Hines, Tim Kolman, Samantha Nousak and Emmy Stowell all received scholarships to attend an Interlochen summer program.

Tim Kolman has been taking dance classes at the Ashtabula Arts Center for more than 8 years. Loomis first saw Tim perform in the Spring Dance show a couple of years ago and was impressed with his skill. The following week, Mr. Loomis called Executive Director Beth Koski and offered to financially assist Tim with tuition to Interlochen’s presitgious summer program. Mr. Loomis first learned of Interlochen during his college days and felt it was a great opportunity for students to work with talented instructors to enhance and improve their artistic abilities. Mr. Loomis teamed up with the Arts Center to provide scholarship dollars for students to attend Interlochen. 2011 was the second summer that Arts Center students attended. Mr. Loomis provided a significant portion of the tuition for all of the students. Tim attended the summer Dance program in 2010 and was excited to attend a three week program this past summer.

“The program made me feel more confident with my dancing,” Tim says. “I learned better technique and better line as well as what it will be like to dance at the college level.” This was also a second summer of the Interlochen program for 15 year-old Samantha Nousak. Samantha began playing the flute 6 years ago when her elementary school band teacher recognized her ability and suggested she take individual instruction not available in public schools. Samantha takes flute lessons at the Arts Center with Nan Adams and also plays piccolo, percussion, clarinet, trombone, trumpet and piano.

Emmy Stowell is a senior at Lakeside High School and has participated in Arts Center music lessons and theater productions from an early age. Emmy has been seen on stage in High School Musical, Brigadoon, Hairspray and many others. Emmy was excited to take part in Interlochen’s six week Operetta program which involved private voice lessons, Operetta workshops, singer skills classes and daily rehearsals.

Julia Hines has been a dance student at the Arts Center for a number of years. She attended a one-week program in Musical Theater at Interlochen which focused on dance, acting and singing.

“Working with the instructors and coaches really opened my eyes to the audition and casting director’s aspect of the business. I learned what it is that directors and college professors want to see and expect from perspective students,” says Julia. “I also learned a lot about independence, but most important, that a performer must be able to do something other than just perform. Dimensions and real life experiences must be injected into your acting, singing and dancing to give it depth.”

Interlochen programs are available for students in grades 3 - 12. For younger students, there are programs that do not require auditions. For intermediate and high school students, the programs are more challenging and competitive. The summer program draws approximately 2500 students each year. Programs are offered in Creative Writing, Dance, General Arts, Motion Picture Arts, Music, Theater Arts and Visual Arts. While expensive, the Interlochen program is not necessarily out of sight for families with talented children. Interlochen offers scholarships and the Arts Center and Mr. Loomis are still working to give scholarships to talented Arts Center students. For information on how to apply to the summer programs, contact the Ashtabula Arts Center department heads Shelagh Dubsky, Kim Godfrey or Meeghan Humphrey, or Executive Director Beth Koski.

The Friday, March 11 performance of "Honk! Jr." has been cancelled due to the bad weather.

If you already have tickets to this performance, you can exchange them for a different performance by calling the Arts Center on Saturday at (440) 964-3396.

Remaining performances will be held on Saturday, March 12 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 13 at 2 p.m.