World Music In Rockville

Many people may not be aware that Our Fair City — Rockville, Maryland — and the surrounding county have a thriving folk music scene. Montgomery County is not known for having tons of musical venues but the folk scene does not require huge auditoriums and dark watering holes.>

In fact, here in Rockville there’s a folk hub that is perking along nicely, thank you. It’s more than the periodic coffee houses at our many churches, and community open mics. Regional music association Focus Music has a regular concert series at Branded ’72 (on Gude).

And then there are house concerts. These are — you guessed it — concerts in people’s homes. It is an incredible environment in which to hear music, because you can really focus in. And for the performers, they know they are playing to an audience that is there to listen.

On Saturday night, Cheryl Kagan and David Spitzer, the team that brings you the Folk ‘N Great Music house concert series, hosted the DC-area debut of the Guy Mendilow Band. They play a blend of many different world traditions with impeccable musicianship, an engaging charisma, and just plain good attitude.

Not only that, but Guy Mendilow is himself both a citizen of the world (grew up in Israel, and has lived on, it seems, just about every continent) and also a long-time student of indigenous musical traditions. So the evening included Guy’s amazing overtone singing, use of the berimbau (made from sticks and cabling from old tires), found percussion, the mouth harp, and more. The songs themselves, many of which Guy discovered from centuries-old traditions in his travels, are sung in languages ranging from Hebrew to Portugese and of course English.

I did take some video (quality iffy, used a cell phone) and this song is in a language Guy made up!

(Personnel: Guy Mendilow, Andy Bergman, Aubrey Johnson, Marcelo Woloski, Tomoko Omura)

POTD: Stuck

>

I really felt for this bike, which was stuck here at this bike rack near Regal for a long time.

Planner: City Meetings This Week (3/30/09)

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.>

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your meeting. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

(We are trying to create a listing of community meetings so please do let us know about your meeting! We will post them on the calendar available here.)

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

• Mon., Mar 30, 7:00 pm — Mayor And Council (Hearing on budget.)
• Tue., Apr 1, 7:15 pm — Bike Advisory Committee

Next Week:

• (No Mayor And Council meeting planned)
• Wed., Apr 8, 7:00 pm — Planning Commission
• Wed., Apr. 8, 7:30 pm — Rockville Sister City, Inc.

Invitation from MCCH and CMR

>
UPDATE: We are very sorry to report that the Open House must be postponed due to the construction in the parking lot as pictured here. Our local weather report has rain coming in before and during the event as well, so we are going to have to wait!

Last year I took a position with the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH). We are having an Open House to celebrate the newly-completed Gude Drive Complex and I would like to invite all of our readers to stop by for a visit this Thursday, April 2, 2009 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM at 600 East Gude Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.

The Gude Drive Complex, owned and developed by Montgomery County, houses MCCH’s Home Builders Care Assessment Center, MCCH’s Adrianne’s Safe Havens and offices, and Community Ministries of Rockville’s Chase Partnership House. The Open House is a rare and special opportunity to see all of the facility (and my office!).

The Home Builders Care Assessment Center (HBCAC) provides 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week shelter and services for men experiencing homelessness. Approximately 900 men are served over the course of a year. The addition was added onto the original 8-year-old building. Demand for shelter and comprehensive services for homeless individuals has increased dramatically. The capacity of the existing building was 100 men. An additional 35 men were served by an on-site trailer, which has been closed. There are now 35 new beds in the HBCAC building. The addition will primarily be used to provide a range of new services including new laundry, bathroom and shower facilities, two medical exam rooms, and a meeting space and computer lab for educational and vocational activities to be conducted.

A shared-facilities building has also been built for Adrianne’s Safe Havens, Community Ministries of Rockville’s Chase Partnership House, and offices for MCCH services and staff. Prior to the new construction, housing and services for both programs were delivered in substandard buildings on site. In addition to providing transitional shelter for 51 men, the new building will feature offices for staff, two dining rooms, two life skills kitchens, two computer labs, laundry and bathroom facilities, conference rooms, and lounges.

Keep an eye out for parking instructions to adjacent properties. We don’t have much parking on site. We hope you can attend!

POTD: Teardown

>

The other day I ran across this scene as they were taking down the ice skating rink in Town Square. I thought it was sort of neat.

How You See And Hear It at VisArts

When I go to art galleries, I escape into the visions of each wo>rk. The solitude takes me away to another place whether cheerful, vibrant, or unsettling. The current VisArts at Rockville exhibit, How You See It, includes a partial audio tour, so I wasn’t alone in my head when viewing certain photographs.

Gallery visitors can request a simple device with headsets to hear commentary about some of the photographs. The recordings are not in any particular order so when you find a recording symbol next to a photograph, you need to scroll through the artists’ names on the screen then click play. This allows the viewer to wander the gallery and listen at an individual pace.

If you want to see images of the artwork and hear the audio tour from home, VisArts has a brand-new blog (http://www.visartsgallery.blogspot.com/). The recordings by the curator, the artists, and the VisArts staff provide an excellent overview of this exhibit with images of the photographs.

Frank Goodyear, curator of the National Portrait Gallery, juried this exhibit and chose Saman Michael Far’s Saturday Afternoon II ($900), as Best In Show. His commentary ponders the future of black and white photography in this media-saturated world. Mr. Goodyear chose a brilliant variety of photographs, from Ground Zero to young flamingos. The natural lines and dark forms of Alan Sislen’s Antelope Lines & Textures ($450) set the eye in motion. If the shoe was real in Stuart Gluckman’s Talking on Your Cell Phone Can Be Dangerous When Traveling ($290), she’d be a goner. Scott Speck captures massive soaring columns with a pinhole camera in Archives ($600). However, Carole Hollander’s Dad Remains ($17,800), stays with you the most. She replicated a photograph of her father using his cremated remains without adding any pigment.

The new audio tour was like having a knowledgeable and engaging companion along for the visit.

The student photography exhibit reveals a world through much younger eyes, while the Children’s Discovery room’s bright new colors engage the younger art gallery enthusiasts.

How You See It will be on display until May 10, 2009. Gallery Hours are Monday to Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM and Sunday 12 Noon to 5 PM.

POTD: Weathered

>

This is a dramatically weathered, painted board at the Thompson Dairy (aka King Farm). It struck me.

Gardening In Rockville: Tune Into The Final Rockville Central Radio Friday

This week President and Michele Obama started a vegetable garden at the White House. In Rockville, we have our own garden spots. Tomorrow, we’re signing off with a blossoming burst of a Gardening Show! We’ll go live at noon at >Rockville Central Radio.

Jerry Wujek, who worked to create the Fallsgrove Community Garden, will talk about the plan for this soon-to-be-installed space.

Then Michael Twitty, who will be installing a Heirloom Garden at the Beall Dawson House for the Montgomery County Historical Society, will tell us all about this vintage endeavor.

Even though it’s still chilly, we are certainly thinking about warmer days! And planting the seeds for new beginnings!

How to listen? Just go here on your computer. Or, feel free to just call into our listener line at 646-200-3332. While you’re on the phone, you can hear the whole show. AND . . . you can ask questions too.

In fact, we encourage it. So call in at 646-200-3332! Press 1 in order to let us know you have a question!

This Friday’s show will be our last regular episode of Rockville Central Radio.

Just about a year ago, on April 4, 2008, we started the show. We’ve been suprised and delighted by callers and guests over the past year and have enjoyed talking to everyone. We’ve learned so much about Rockville and the people who make it special. It’s been lots of fun!

But, while some shows have had significant audience, there are too few regular listeners for us to justify continuing.

We want to thank our most dedicated guest, Ruth Hannesian of the Animal Exchange. She has been a guest on the show for almost every episode. She has never failed to delight us while at the same time teaching us something about our animal friends. Thank you Ruth!

We’re always trying new things at Rockville Central. Some of them work, and others don’t! We think it’s time to say goodbye to this effort to make room for new features.

Events In Rockville 3/26/09-4/5/09

>Pick of the Week

Everyone loves the Sound of Music (at least I always have!). All the local high schools are putting on their Spring productions and this weekend it’s Rockville High School’s turn.

Pictured here are Peter English (as Captain VonTrapp)and Laura Weiss (as Maria) practicing for their delightful RHS show.

Rockville High School
Theater’s Spring Production
Sound of Music
Friday, March 27, 2009 at 7 PM
Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 7 PM (sign interpreted performance)
Sunday, March 29 at 2 PM
Tickets $6/students, $10/adults. Sold on a first come basis at the door.

Thanks to the English family for this sneak peek photo!

Events in Rockville

This community event listing is a partnership between Rockville Central and Rockville Living. If you would like your community event to be listed, you must submit your request through Rockville Living using this form. Your event will be considered for publication in Rockville Central’s events listing and Rockville Living’s Calendar. We need your help collecting and posting events — that is how this resource will get better and better. Please become a regular contributor by requesting a username so that you can enter the information directly to the database. We publish event listings occurring in & around our coverage area (map) on Thursdays. Please be advised that all of the event information is contributed by readers and event details can change. You should check with the source before attending. The inclusion of events is at our discretion.

Thursday, March 26

10:00 am
Conversation Club at Twinbrook Library Join us for a weekly session of informal English conversation practice. New members are welcome, no need to register. more info

1:30 pm
Preschool Storytime at Rockville Public Library Stories, music, and action activities for ages 3 1/2 to 6. more info

6:00 pm
Spanish Conversation Club at Rockville Public Library Practice and improve your Spanish through conversation. Every Thursday, 6:00-7:30. more info

6:30 pm
Food N Finances Cooking Demonstration at Whole Foods Market Where should you put your hard-earned money these days? Financial advisors from Morgan Stanley will be on hand to discuss navigating through this tough economy, keeping your money safe and making the most of these troubling times. Chef Wendy will prepare a delightful sampling of foods from our Whole Foods kitchen. Please sign up at customer service. Class is limited to 20 people. more info

Friday, March 27

Introduction of New Menu at Bobby’s Crabcakes Bobby’s Crabcakes is pleased to announce the introduction of our new expanded menu - try our baked stuffed collossal shrimp, fried fisherman’s platter, broiled salmon, chicken parmagiano, lasagna and for dessert we now have Root beer floats.

10:00 am
English Conversation Club at Rockville Public Library The English Conversation Club, for new speakers of English, meets every Tuesday and Friday at 10 a.m.(in meeting room #1 on Tuesday and meeting room #2 on Friday) of the Rockville Library. No registration is required. more info

10:15 am
Cuddle ups for pre-walkers at Rockville Public Library Stories, songs, and rhymes for ages 0-12 months, with an adult. more info

6:30 pm
(Over)Night at the Museum, grades 3-5 at VisArts at Rockville Children in grades three to five can bring their sleeping bags, PJs and slippers, and have an amazing art experience from 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 27, to 9 a.m. Saturday, March 28, at VisArts at Rockville, 155 Gibbs St.
more info

7:30 pm
Beauty and the Beast at Thomas S. Wootton High School The final weekend of Wootton High School’s production of Beauty and the Beast. more info

Saturday, March 28

10:15 am
Storytime for 2′s and 3′s at Rockville Public Library Stories and activities for ages 2-3 with an adult. more info

11:00 am
Family Storytime at Twinbrook Library Join us for a storytime designed for families with young children. All ages welcome. more info

11:00 am
Kids’ Storytime at Barnes & Noble more info

11:00 am
Spanish Storytime at Barnes & Noble more info

12:00 pm-4:00 pm
Food Drive Collection for The Capital Area Food Bank at Robeks Fruit Smoothies and Healthy Eats Help Celebrate Robeks Fruit Smoothies 3-Year Anniversary in Rockville!! Saturday, March 28th Noon to 4:00 PM at Robeks in Rockville Town Square and Robeks In Congressional Plaza. Enjoy Samples, Prizes, Music Help Us Collect Food For The Capital Area Food Bank. Bring in a non-perishable food item and we will give you a $1.00 off any smoothie!

7:30 pm-9:30 pm
Rockville Civic Ballet presents The Last Duchess, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Peasant Dances from Giselle at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater Rockville Civic Ballet presents dances from The Last Duchess, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Peasant Dances from Giselle.
Tickets: $14 Adult, $10 Senior (60+), $10 Child (12 & under) more info

7:30 pm
Beauty and the Beast at Thomas S. Wootton High School The final weekend of Wootton High School’s production of Beauty and the Beast. more info

8:00 pm
Chanticleer - Wondrous Free at Music Center at Strathmore Called “America’s favorite choral ensemble” by the New Yorker magazine, this acclaimed male chorus “proves that the human voice is truly the king of instruments” (Christian Science Monitor). The Grammy Award-winning ensemble lends its lush, orchestral sound to 250 years of American music—from the first documented song written in America in 1759. The program includes the premiere of David Conte’s “The Homecoming” about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the premiere of Eric Whitacre’s choral arrangement of his “Sleep My Child,” and works by Samuel Barber, P.D.Q. Bach, and Stephen Foster. more info

Sunday, March 29

2:00 pm
Beauty and the Beast at Thomas S. Wootton High School The final weekend of Wootton High School’s production of Beauty and the Beast. more info

2:00 pm-4:00 pm
Rockville Civic Ballet presents The Last Duchess, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Peasant Dances from Giselle at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater Rockville Civic Ballet presents dances from The Last Duchess, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Peasant Dances from Giselle.
Tickets: $14 Adult, $10 Senior (60+), $10 Child (12 & under) more info

Monday, March 30

6:45 pm
CONVERSATION CLUB at Twinbrook Library Join us for our informal conversation classes, as we practice speaking English every Monday at 6:30pm. New members are always welcome, no need to register. more info

7:00 pm
Act it Out Kids Book Club at Rockville Public Library For children in grades Kindergarten, first and second grades. We will share stories and act them out. Please register at 240-777-0140. more info

7:00 pm
Mayor & Council Meeting with Citizens Forum at Rockville City Hall Check the “more info” link for an agenda for the Mayor and Council meeting tonight, which includes a Citizens Forum. If you wish to speak at the forum, you may put your name on the list by calling the City Clerk’s office at 240-314-8280. more info

7:15 pm
American Sign Language Practice Club at Rockville Public Library Volunteer coaches will be available to help participants practice sign language. Participants must have already taken a sign language class. Drop in, registration is not required. For more information, contact Library Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community at [email protected] or 240-777-0001 or TTY # 240-777-0902. more info

Tuesday, March 31

10:00 am
English Conversation Club at Rockville Public Library The English Conversation Club, for new speakers of English, meets every Tuesday and Friday at 10 a.m.(in meeting room #1 on Tuesday and meeting room #2 on Friday) of the Rockville Library. No registration is required. more info

10:30 am
Preschool Storytime at Twinbrook Library Stories, songs, fingerplays, chants, and a short simple craft.
more info

6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Financial Planning in Retirement at Montgomery County Commission for Women Counseling & Career Center Do you ever ask yourself when you can afford to retire or how you should manage your retirement fundsin today’s economy? If you do, join us in this workshop. You’ll learn how to reallocate your investments before you retire and maximize your financies after you retire. We’ll also discuss safety nets to protect your nest egg and health care options in retirement. $20, payable at registration; early registration recommended. more info

6:30 pm-7:30 pm
Free Demo: Screen Printing from Digital Media. Learn to print photographic-looking images on T-shirts and as fine art! Ages 14 to adult. at VisArts at Rockville Learn what it takes to turn a digital image (like a photo or a poster design) into a high-quality printed T-shirt or art print. You’ll get to see t
he whole process “from pixels to paint”, and have the opportunity to pull your own print. The workshop will be led by expert screen printer Ilan Gutin. Age appropriate for adults and high school students. Please RSVP to Tim Hampton at [email protected] by March 27, with FREE DEMO in the subject line. more info

Wednesday, April 1

12:00 am
StartRight! Women’s Business Competition Last Postmark date for submission of business plans at Rockville Economic Development, Inc All parts of business plan and application fee are due to Rockville Economic Development INC. 95 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD 20850 more info

10:00 am
Wednesday Morning Storytime at Barnes & Noble more info

6:00 pm
Crochet Club at Twinbrook Library Join us every Wednesday as we meet to learn and/or practice our crocheting skills. more info

7:00 pm-8:45 pm
Strong Interest Inventory at Montgomery County Commission for Women Counseling & Career Center The Strong Interest Inventory is one of the most respected and widely-used career planning instruments in the world and is recommended for anyone making decisions about occupational choice, career direction or job satisfaction. It will provide you with a profile of your vocational interests, characteristics, occupations and optimal career choices that seem best suited to you. [Offered monthly.] Two sessions: April 1 (test) and April 22 (group interpretation of test results). $50, payable at registration; early registration recommended. more info

7:30 pm
FOR FANS OF TWILIGHT at Barnes & Noble more info

Thursday, April 2

10:00 am
Conversation Club at Twinbrook Library Join us for a weekly session of informal English conversation practice. New members are welcome, no need to register. more info

10:15 am
Preschool Storytime at Rockville Public Library Stories, music, and action activities for ages 3 1/2 to 6. more info

1:30 pm-3:30 pm
Coping with Fear at Montgomery County Commission for Women Counseling & Career Center Does your fear paralyze you, make you vulnerable or hold you back? Join us in this workshop and learn about the negative consequences of fear and how fear can be used to your advantage. $20, payable at registration; early registration recommended. more info

4:30 pm
Storytelling Club at Twinbrook Library Join us as we tell and listen to stories with guidance by Eve Burton, our children’s librarian. more info

6:00 pm
Spanish Conversation Club at Rockville Public Library Practice and improve your Spanish through conversation. Every Thursday, 6:00-7:30. more info

7:00 pm
Kids Book Club at Rockville Public Library For kids in grades 3, 4, and 5. Come and discuss the selected book. Call the library 240-777-0140 to register and for the name of the book. Books are available at the Children’s Desk. more info

Friday, April 3

10:00 am-12:00 pm
Interviewing for Success at Montgomery County Commission for Women Counseling & Career Center Each job interview provides a unique opportunity to determine whether there’s a match between you and the employer. This workshop covers types of interviews, preparing for the interview, creating a positive impression, building rapport and interview follow-up strategies. $20, payable at registration; early registration recommended. more info

10:00 am
English Conversation Club at Rockville Public Library The English Conversation Club, for new speakers of English, meets every Tuesday and Friday at 10 a.m.(in meeting room #1 on Tuesday and meeting room #2 on Friday) of the Rockville Library. No registration is required. more info

7:00 pm-9:00 pm
HST Cultural Arts presents Shooting Stars at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater This show is for everyone who has dreamed of being a star. Join 150 of HST’s shooting stars as they sing, dance and discover the stars they are. Tickets $10/$12 call 301-294-0520 more info

7:30 pm
Storytime at Barnes & Noble more info

Saturday, April 4

9:00 am-12:00 pm
Twinbrook Trash-A-Thon at Croydon Creek Nature Center On April 4th Twinbrook is joining the Alice Ferguson Foundation 21st Potomac River Watershed Cleanup and the City of Rockville’s Stream Cleanup efforts by staging two Clean-Up Sites — one at Croyden Creek Nature Center and the other along the creek at Rockcrest Park at Broadwood (by the playground). If you would like to volunteer, please email [email protected] or call 301-503-4533. While we will need adults to clean the actual stream, both environments have plenty of land that needs to be tidied. Youth groups are encouraged to attend and organizers can sign Community Service Hour sheets.

10:15 am
Cuddle ups for walkers at Rockville Public Library Stories, songs, and rhymes for ages 12 to 24 months, with an adult. more info

12:00 pm-2:00 pm
PAW (Partnership for An
imal Welfare) Adoption Event at Petco PAW (Partnership for Animal Welfare) will be having an adoption event (dogs and cats) at the Rockville Petco. (301) 984-9733. Come to the show and see our rescue dogs and cats. If you are interested in any dog or cat at the show, a PAW volunteer will be there to assist you. You may also call the PAW line at (301) 572-4729 for show information or visit our web site to see the dogs and cats that are available for adoption. Send an email to: more info

2:30 pm-4:30 pm
HST Cultural Arts presents Shooting Stars at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater This show is for everyone who has dreamed of being a star. Join 150 of HST’s shooting stars as they sing, dance and discover the stars they are. Tickets $10/$12 call 301-294-0520 more info

6:00 pm
Real Maryland FC (Pre-Season ) Game vs. George Mason University at Richard Montgomery High School Come support your local professional soccer team, and see players from our area play against players from around the world. Real Maryland FC is a professional soccer team that participates in the second division of the United Soccer Leagues. All Regular Season Home Games will be played at the new Richard Montgomery High School Stadium in Rockville, MD. There will be 10 Regular Season Home Games played this summer. In addition to these games, Real Maryland FC will be holding different events at the stadium from April 1 - November 1. These events include exhibition matches against local Universities, International Exhibition Matches, The Monarch’s Men’s Open League, a High School Soccer Tournament, Super Y League Games and potentially camps and clinics. more info

7:00 pm-9:00 pm
HST Cultural Arts presents Shooting Stars at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater This show is for everyone who has dreamed of being a star. Join 150 of HST’s shooting stars as they sing, dance and discover the stars they are. Tickets $10/$12 call 301-294-0520 more info

Sunday, April 5

1:00 pm
Real Maryland FC (Pre-Season ) Game vs. Rochester Raging Rhinos (USL-1) at Richard Montgomery High School Come support your local professional soccer team, and see players from our area play against players from around the world. Real Maryland FC is a professional soccer team that participates in the second division of the United Soccer Leagues. All Regular Season Home Games will be played at the new Richard Montgomery High School Stadium in Rockville, MD. There will be 10 Regular Season Home Games played this summer. In addition to these games, Real Maryland FC will be holding different events at the stadium from April 1 - November 1. These events include exhibition matches against local Universities, International Exhibition Matches, The Monarch’s Men’s Open League, a High School Soccer Tournament, Super Y League Games and potentially camps and clinics. more info

If you attend an event, we invite you to write a Contributor Review. Just send it in to: [email protected]

POTD: Eagle

>

I guess the title says it all (at least why I chose to photograph this handsome home). Can’t have too many eagles, I always say! (Along with Jason Robards.)

Loophole Allows City To Rescue College Smokers

>

Rockville City Staff Present FY10 Budget Outlines

>

The first budget hearing is slated for March 30 at the Mayor and Council meeting.

POTD: Boa

>

I was driving along in Rose Hill and I saw this . . . I at first thought it was a very vibrant plant of some sort. Nope: just a dress-up boa!

Turn a Motorcycle into Art

>

On May 16, 2009 VisArts at Rockville is having a “Ride for the Arts” starting at 10 AM. Since we here at Rockville Central love the motorcycles, we’ll be sure to post all the details.

A generous donor gave VisArts a Kawasaki 750 to raffle off at the event. Funds will go the their Education and Outreach programs. The idea is for an artist to transform the bike into a work of art. So far, no one’s creative juices have flowed.

The artist will be introduced at the event, talk about the design, pose for press photos, and show other work. A terrific opportunity for exposure and a heck of a lot of fun!

If you are interested call 301-315-8200 x 105 or just send a proposal to [email protected] right away.

Include:
Color renderings of your design idea
Written description of all changes
Name, address, email, phone, website (if you have one).

The artist must supply all materials. I believe it’s a ’97. It still runs!

Beauty & The Beast: Cappie Worthy at Wootton

>This past weekend’s performances of Beauty and the Beast burst from the stage in a professional and intensive production at Wootton High School. Chosen by the Wootton Center for the Arts as their Cappie nomination for the year, they pulled out all the stops in hopes of receiving awards from the student critics.

When Jessica Futran began to sing as Belle, my first thought was that her vocals must have been prerecorded, which didn’t seem possible because you could tell the other performers were singing live. Then I finally accepted the obvious, she was moving around the stage effortlessly with a perfect voice and tremendous talent. All her scenes were touching but the intimate gestures and voices in No Matter What with Alex Garretson (playing her father) put me on their side. This scene introduces the storyline and we learn they are simply not like everyone else. Another stand out performance was delivered by Mattia D’Affuso as a truly convincing and animated Lumiere. The entire cast was strong with obvious hard work and excellent direction from Adam Graham and Carla Ingram, who mention in the Director’s Note that they both have girls and “spent countless hours in front of the Disney Princess series of movies”.

The set’s bold-graphic background and bare-twisted trees were enhanced by the detailed paintings of objects brought to three-dimensional life. All the choreography of the large cast unfolded in a fast-paced flourish, especially the wolves frightening bounds in the dark forest. Elaborate costumes rented and owned by the company matched any imaginable theater production creating a rollicking, delightful display during Be Our Guest. My little seven-year-old noticed the changes occurring to the magical inhabitants of the Beast’s castle as they became less and less human. The musical reminded me of an impressive fireworks display when each moment must be the finale, yet it keeps going to even greater heights.

While reading one of her many beloved books, Belle daydreams about a happy ending. This show delivers it. You can still be amazed by this student production next weekend at 7:30 PM on March 27 & 28, and 2 PM on March 29, 2009. $15 for reserved seats. $10 general admission in the back and side sections.