Art Talk

A STEP AHEAD

Newburgh Academy of Dance gets back in the groove with “Cinderella” performance

As restaurants, businesses, schools, and community organizations were shutting down in March 2020 in the wake of the first wave of COVID-19 infections, teachers and advanced dancers at Newburgh Academy of Dance created instructional videos for students to view and practice with at home. It was a dramatic departure from the camaraderie students were used to during lessons, but for academy owner Karen Jordan, keeping momentum going and spirits high was the objective.

“Online classes while we were totally closed for three months were not within my comfort zone,” Jordan says. “My daughter grabbed her phone, and we winged it. We had to stop filming many times because we would be laughing hysterically at how amateur we were.” The 9-year-old academy at 718 Qamar, Lebanon, who is a sophomore majoring in marketing at the University of Evansville. The academy occasionally invites family members to attend dance classes with students. Dance troupes also perform at area events such as United Bank’s Community Day and at the Allen Family Amphitheater in June. Its 2019 performance of Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” benefited the children’s programs at Bell Oaks Library in Newburgh.

The Newburgh Academy of Dance’s production of “Cinderella” will be staged at 7 p.m. Nov. 20 in the Boonville High School auditorium, 300 N. First St., Boonville, Indiana.

State St. in Newburgh, Indiana, offers classes in ballet, tap, pointe, tumbling, and dance team skills for students ages 4 through adult. Students’ dance experience ranges from months to years, and all participate in annual productions for the academy.

This year’s production of “Cinderella” will have an active stage: The cast features upwards of 60 dancers. One tiny dancer is 5-year-old Olive Labhart, a first grader at Newburgh Elementary School who portrays a mouse. Her mother, Sara, says Olive has “been dancing since she could walk,” but it was a freestyle class that led them to ballet instruction.

“She took a freestyle class, and her dancing was ballet-like, so we sought out a ballet class,” Labhart says. “She definitely prefers ballet. It’s so natural for her.”

Arushi Gandhi’s performance as Cinderella will be her final dance with the academy: The 18-year-old Signature School senior will depart for college next year to a school yet to be determined. Her prince is played by 18-year-old Samer Nassif, a native of Deir al-

Arushi Gandhi and Samer Nassif star in Newburgh Academy of Dance’s upcoming production of “Cinderella.”

KAREN JORDAN

owner, Newburgh Academy of Dance

— JODI KEEN

MOVE TO THE BEAT

newburghacademyofdance.com

“‘Would you like an ice cream cone?’ asks Theo to the little Gnome.” — pg. 1

The Garden Party

2021 CANEPHORA PRESS

Written by Evansville author Kathryn Woodward under the pen name Jemima Neal, “The Garden Party” follows the story of Theo, who is having a party with his friends, but would rather be in the backyard with his garden friends. This children’s book encourages make-believe and fantasy, showing kids they can have the most fun with their everyday surroundings. SHELF LIFE

“You want to be your own boss, take control of your life, and make your own schedule? I get it. This book is exactly what you need to help you get started down that path because it will help you plan what you want to do with your time.” — pg. 3

Planning Your Day 101

2021 ALL BOOKED

This workbook serves as a guide for preteens to build their own schedule for their free time. Evansville author Sara Williams guides preteens as they learn life balance, flexibility, and other skills through this practical hands-on workbook with full-color illustrations. “The whistler started humming ‘da dum de dum’ to the tune of ‘Here Comes the Bride,’ and as everyone joined in, the bride and groom entered the circle. There was something comforting about hearing the rockers in the background as the couple repeated their vows after me.” — pg. 5

For Better or For Worse: Just Shoot Me Now

2021 PEM PFISTERER CLARK PRODUCTIONS, INC.

Laugh and learn from 10 true stories of interesting and heartfelt wedding ceremonies and receptions that, in some cases, went hilariously wrong. Narrated by Henderson resident and nationally syndicated radio show host Pem Pfisterer Clark, this audiobook will help you say “no” to the drama, gain confidence, and avoid some of the more serious wedding day pitfalls.

‘Give My Regards to Broadway’

Sherry Wright connects Evansville to global stages

AS THE STAGE LIGHTS GO UP March 28, 2022, on the opening night of “Plaza Suite,” producer Sherry Wright will be watching from the best seat in New York’s Hudson Theater, savoring the culmination of an unusual project: The Evansville native produced the Broadway revival from the kitchen of her home on Riverside Drive.

One might not guess Broadway productions are born in Evansville, but Wright has split her time between New York and the Tri-State since her first production, “Children of a Lesser God,” in 2018.

Previously, she received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Evansville in 1982 and a master certification in professional coaching from the Institute of Professional Excellence and Coaching in 2011.

Wright and her husband Kirk then began investing in theater with the Wright Family Investment Group. After studying producing at the Commercial Theater Institute in New York City in 2015, Wright fell in love with the job.

Locally, she founded 100 Women Who Care Evansville and worked closely with local organizations including Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science and Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. She was awarded Philanthropist of the Year honors by the Alhambra Theatre Film Festival in 2016 and the Mayor’s Arts Award by the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana in 2017.

“The common thread through all of that is

SHOWTIME

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SHERRY WRIGHT

that I’m involved in the arts either as a performer or as a supporter and fundraiser,” says Wright.

The producer, often described as a show’s parent, sparks the idea for a show, hires creatives, maintains the finances, and decides when it’s time to close a show.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wright continued to work from Evansville via Zoom and now has more than 10 plays debuting in the next two years, including the musical “Paradise Square.”

Working with top industry names, such as Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker in “Plaza Suite,” Wright says she never doubted she would see Broadway success.

“Think big instead of small, and eventually you hit your goal,” she says. “But my goal continued to change. I think that I’ll continue to adapt and learn and follow my own curiosity, and who knows where it will take me.” — DALLAS CARTER